


Best College Semester Ever

by lynnthere_donethat



Category: Smosh
Genre: F/F, M/M, Multi, Polysmosh is endgame, Some Cursing, roadtrip au
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-02-26
Updated: 2019-09-14
Packaged: 2019-11-05 22:04:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 21,917
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17927213
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lynnthere_donethat/pseuds/lynnthere_donethat
Summary: They were young, dumb and broke, But, when the adventure of a lifetime came, how could they turn it down?A roadtrip AU, where the fam travels the US. Set in a college setting.





	1. Wanderlust

As August rolled around, the traffic in a quiet Los Angeles suburb very quickly became more and more congested as the school year grew nearer. The leaves were still a beautiful and vibrant green with the faintest tinges of red and yellow.

The old Greek Village on the UCLA campus was home to many old fraternity houses that were inhabited by  bigger groups who couldn’t afford an apartment yet , or were used for the late night parties that drove the peaceful neighbors up the wall during College Football season. A slew of cars from several states would soon crowd around the old Alpha Delta Phi fraternity house. Ian Hecox welcoming his friends and family, or as he called them- his framily, back from summer break.

The fourteen residents had grown close last year with a variety of overlapping classes. At the end of the year, they all had moved into the house and now fit somewhat comfortable in the old fraternity. The three story building required them to live in pairs as the third floor was beyond repair from the years of abandonment, but they were slowly making renovations. The owner, Ian had lived in the house full time and kept in constant contact with each person as they traveled home and on vacation.

The first person back was one of Ian’s oldest friends, Mari Takahashi. She had been visiting her family in Japan for the past month, before flying back for her dance classes and teaching position at the local youth dance studio. She taught beginners ballet for class credit and loved it. Ian had welcomed her and she moved her stuff into a room that she shared with Olivia, another dance major. Olivia was with her family still, and would be arriving in the coming weeks.

Next to arrive after Mari was the trio of computer science majors: Joshua Ovenshire, David Moss, and Matthew Sohinki. Joshua, also known as Joven, had stayed in California as well, visiting his mom. He had traveled to Los Angeles a couple times for work but never had the time to see Ian. David visited his family in Ohio before joining Joven’s family in California for a while, the two of them sharing a brotherly bond. David claimed to hate the bespectacled man, but their friends could call the bluff. In all honesty, the trio of guys held a brotherly bond and often paired off together. 

David entered the house with a huge grin, closely followed by the other two. They greeted Ian at the door, who welcomed them in before Lasercorn ran ahead, and turned and shouted-

“From this day forward, I shall no more be called David. Thou shalt call me Lasercorn! Courtesy of the brand new and dope tat I got over summer!”

“Tattoo?” Ian asked, confused. In response, David turned and lifted his shirt to show his shoulder blade. A badass tattoo of a unicorn shooting a laser beam into space from the horn sat on his shoulder blade, with a startling amount of tender skin, indicating it had been done quite recently, if the beginning signs of scarring were anything to consider. 

“Whoa! That’s so cool!” Ian said, dragging his fingers on the tattoo. The newly dubbed Lasercorn winced as Ian touched the tender spots, but flashed a reassuring and beaming smile back towards Ian, who gladly returned it. 

“He cried like a bitch getting it, but it was worth the broken pinkie.” Joven said, from where he leaned against the door frame. Upon Ian’s inquiring look of confusion, Joven set down a box of miscellaneous items to showcase his splinted hand with a lazy smirk. 

“Ah, I see. Tis a worthy battle wound.” Ian gesticulated with a grande voice and gesture, before bowing slightly before Joven.

“Ah see upon thine own wounds, my friend, the stab of 1000 needles required much patience and what was lost was not in vain- for upon the masterpiece ye shall see- twas worth the hospital visit.” Joven returned, waving his hand with flourish, a playful twinkle in his eye. 

“Shut up, I got stabbed by a needle many times and you just laughed at me. Consider it karma, bitch,” David said, shoving at Joven’s shoulder lightly.

“Whatever floats your boat, corn.” Joven chuckled, sweeping up the box and moving into the house. A sigh of exasperation was heard from a corner, and Ian laughed.

“I’m sure the car ride with them was far less entertaining?” Ian asked, mirth on his face. The shortest of the trio, Sohinki shrugged.

“I didn’t listen, mainly worked on writing.” He said, moving to close the door. 

Ian told them of his summer doing renovations to the third floor, and showed them the little changes. The holes had been patched and the water damage was mostly repaired. They needed to fix the heating situation, and do some new paint and floor work before consideration about moving into the third floor was required. After the brief tour, and they unpacked, the boys headed back down, to see Ian off to work.

Left alone, the trio ordered some pizza before settling into last minute cramming on summer assignments. Their tedious work was interrupted by the pizza, which was welcomed. Their similar majors allowed for collaboration on assignments. Joven was a computer science major and he worked on a current assignment would be extra credit for his advanced coding class. Joven had looked at some of the course work and knew he would want to take advantage of the extra credit opportunities. He shoved his glasses up as they slowly slid down his nose and began working on the sheet. Lasercorn, as he continued to remind them of his official name change, was a software design major. He was in the same coding class as Joven and was getting annoyed with the assignment .

“What the actual fuck is this?” he groaned, staring dead eyed at the algorithms. Joven shrugged and continued on, shielding his paper from Lasercorn’s prying eyes. Sohinki, who was studying video game design worked away at her aforementioned writings. He had a personal goal, which was to have a completed rough draft before classes began, which was looking to be a daunting task. It was a concept for a game, and while the main plot was figured out- the detail work was grating on his nerves. They worked in quiet for a while, until a knock sounded. The intrusive sound shocked them out of their concentrated stupor.

“Anybody home?” came  a familiar voice, causing Joven to launch up and race the others to open the door. Joven, with his longer legs reached the door first and ripped it open with a gigantic smile on his face.

“Mari!” Joven cried. Mari’s eyes widened and she gasped.

“Jovie! I missed you!” she exclaimed, launching herself at him, crushing him into a tight hug. Joven, although not the biggest fan of hugs, let her , and the other boys joined them in a group hug. However, that’s where Joven drew the line, so he started squirming to get out of the group.

“How have you guys been!?” she asked excitedly, entering the house, locking the door, dropping her bag and joined them at the coffee table, where they had been splayed out. With mari’s presence, any and all thought of completing homework was proverbially thrown out of the window. They asked of her summer, and she agreed- jumping into her story.

She told them about the long flight, the screaming babies and the crappy snacks the plane had. She told them about the month she stayed there, how she missed the city, her family, and the authentic food. They listened and made some comments about it, but stayed rather quiet during her story. She told them how dance classes were going and her summer job as a dance instructor. In turn, they told her about their summers. Which included Lasercorn’s new tattoo and a repeat of the story, with less theatrics.

“Whoa! Did it hurt?” she asked, lightly touching the tattoo. David shrugged, considering he recently medicated it, as instructed. 

“Well, it’s being stabbed over and over by a needle, but Joven will sum it up better. I blocked the pain out.”

“By transferring it to his hand which broke my pinkie. So, that hurt like a bitch, but it was at the end of the session, so I was able to get it splinted sooner. He almost passed out though.” Joven added.

“Did not!”

“You almost did! The artist stopped to stretch his hand and you like melted into the chair. He had to get  you water and let you breathe for a moment so you didn’t pass out!” Joven defended. David didn’t say much except screwing his lips up into a weird frown before sticking his tongue out in childlike retaliation.

“So, how was your summer, Sohin?” Mari asked. She looked toward the quietest member and saw he had turned back to his writing.

“It was fine. I mainly did this, and worked. Not much there.” Sohinki shrugged, as he made the offhand comment. Mari gave him a weird look for it, but didn’t press the matter any further.

“Okay... well then I’m going to shower and change for bed. Ian should be home soon, and I think Wes, Keith, Noah, and Courtney are coming back tomorrow. Good night boys! And don’t stay up all night!” she added before climbing up the stairs.

“Okay, mom,” Joven muttered under his breath before returning to the coding sheet.  There was a period of brief quietness, allowing the boys to return to their homework. Soon after, Ian came home and he set his stuff down and headed to bed after bidding the others goodnight.

 

Eventually, David became discouraged and headed to his room that he shared with Sohinki. The others could hear angry mutterings about ducks and how machine learning was a waste of time. Joven finished his sheet afterwards and left it on the coffee table for David and bid Sohinki goodnight before going to bed. 

Sohinki stayed up writing. He was working on an outline to guide the story, in an attempt to make sense of the finer details. Yet, he kept doubling back to his earlier ideas, writing in the margins, and was unable to focus on progressing the story. All he wanted to do was edit the previous sections. Soon, it was 7 AM and Mari was walking down the stairs, her faded purple hair in a messy bun barely held together by a hairband.

“Morning Sohin. When did you wake up?” she  asked, starting a fresh pot of coffee.

“I didn’t sleep,” he  murmured, and rubbed his exhausted eyes.

“Sohin! That’s not good. Put it away and get some sleep. Good lord,” Mari admonished as she turned to him, shocked. Sohinki barely heard her as he passed out, asleep soon after the first word. His hand went limp and the notebook holding his script clattered to the ground in a rustle of pages. Mari went over to pick it up and laid a blanket on him. She brushed his hair out of his face and went to get her breakfast started. She had a ballet class at 9, so she  made some toast and coffee and ate it quickly before heading to get dressed. She put on some tights and a leotard and grabbed her ballet bag. She redid her bun and headed out.

 

Ian was the next to wake and as he meandered into the kitchen, he poured a cup of coffee. He took notice of the aftermath of the homework session, and saw a sleeping form on the couch. Ian figured that Sohinki was the one on the couch, considering the pen and notebook lying nearby. The pen in his hand was barely staying, and the notebook laid on the table. He assumed Mari tidied up a little before leaving for her morning ballet class. Turning back, Ian made some toast for breakfast and scrolled on his phone. He felt the buzz of a text and checked it out, seeing the sender was Shayne.

 

**From: Shanye**

**To: Ian**

**Hey Ian, Dames and I landed in cali and we’re driving to the house now. See u soon! Dames says Hi!**

 

Ian smiled and tyed a quick response back to them. He definitely missed everyone and the house was far too quiet with only the three sleeping boys in it.

 

**From: Ian**

**To: Shanye**

**Alright! Glad you guys are back and safe! Drive safe and I’ll see you guys soon!**

 

He cleaned up the coffee table up and changed before the next slew of people arrived back. He was excited for them to get there. He had a surprise for them and couldn’t wait to tell them, but he needed them here first.

 

An hour later, Ian heard a car pull up and headed down to see who it was. Joven following, a loose t-shirt clinging to his frame, and a warm mug of coffee in his hands. He took  along sip, as the car doors opened and the brand new silver haired man exited.

“Hey, Wes! Welcome back!” Ian exclaimed, giving the man a hug. Wes smiled and returned the hug with an enthusiastic hi. Wes had just gotten back from Ohio, where he spent time with his family. He greeted Joven in a similar style, which Joven returned, with a small smile.

Joven helped Wes take his stuff up to their room. While they unpacked, Wes told him about his summer. Of which consisted of him shooting paintballs and messing with his siblings. Joven told him about Lasercorn’s new nickname and tattoo, and showed him the damage. This caused Wes to snicker as he put the rest of his  clothes away.

“Sounds like something David would do. Is he awake yet?” Wes asked, curious to see the tattoo.

“Not yet, but I’m sure he’ll be flexing it all the time.” Joven chuckled, lounging on his bed. The beds were left over from the old fraternity. The old mattresses were thrown out, and replaced, and the frames were stained to each person’s tastes. Ian allowed them to make whatever changes to the rooms, to their heart’s content. But it had to be mutually decided on by the roommates.

 

As the weeks passed, the house filled up more and more. Ian was seen less, which worried Mari, but she assumed that he was picking up hours before the semester began. After a week, Olivia and Courtney announced their relationship. As a celebration, they went out to eat and later had a movie night of cartoons. They microwaved a box of popcorn and bought several bottles of Sparkling Grape Juice. They drank it out of cups and wine glasses. Halfway through  _ Monster’s Inc _ , Lasercorn and Joven engaged in a popcorn war. The glasses were moved and the furniture was turned over to create barricades. After everyone ran out of popcorn, a draw was declared and they cleaned up the mess  before turning in. When Ian walked in at 4 AM, he found the wreckage. As the TV played the jazzy main menu music, Ian surveyed the destruction he missed out on. Although he exhausted from work, he decided to at least put the bowls and glasses on the counter. The carpet would need to be vacuumed tomorrow, a job for whoever started the mess.

After the brief clean up, Ian went to bed exhaustion settling into his core. A couple hours later, Mari and Olivia left for dance rehearsals. Flitz followed them 30 minutes later for his own classes. Keith was out the door before 10 to meet with a friend from one of his classes last year. 

Ian woke up a little shy of  noon and made another pot of coffee, bags under his eyes and his limbs sore. Everyone else who was awake and in the house was still in their respective rooms. Some were tidying up and starting laundry, while others were lounging . Joven ventured out to eat lunch, and found himself vacuuming the leftover popcorn at Ian’s request. He knew better than to argue with Ian, considering he let them move in.

Ian felt his pocket buzz and checked his phone, before seeing an email from the school. Growing concerned, he quickly scanned the email for bad news, but found out it was in fact the opposite. Giddy with excitement, he sent a text to their group chat.

 

**To: House Chat Dorks**

**From: DaddyIan**

**I need everyone at home ASAP**

**Got big news bois**

 

**To: House Chat Dorks**

**From: keith**

**ill be home in 5!**

 

**To: House Chat Dorks**

**From: FLitz**

**Mar, Livia and i will be heading home at 1, long rehearsal today**

 

**To: House Chat Dorks**

**From: DaddyIan**

**Ok we’ll wait for you guys**

 

Ian grinned, excited to tell everyone, and he knew the hour wait was going to kill everyone still at home. To calm his nerves,he started making some lunch, and set out a plate of sandwiches for anyone who wanted food. While Ian scrolled on his phone, he heard Keith come in, nab a sandwich, and disappear upstairs with a simple hello.

Soon after, Ian heard the door open and Mari, Olivia, and Flitz walked in, dance bags in hand and sweat still glistening on their skin.

“Go get cleaned up and call everyone down here, and I’ll tell you guys the news,” Ian said. He headed to the den and found that the popcorn was gone and the furniture was fixed. Ian settled into the couch and heard everyone slowly come downstairs. They settled into the various chairs around the room, nervous glances on their faces. Shayne and Damien nestled together on one cushion on the loveseat, while Olivia and Courtney sat on the other cushion. Everyone else stationed themselves around the room and Ian smiled.

“First off, don’t worry. We aren’t being evicted and this is good news. Secondly, next time you have a popcorn war, clean it up.”

“Sorry, Ian.” Mari said.

“It’s okay, but how many of you have traveled the US?” Ian asked a grin growing on his face.

“Besides going home, not really,” Shayne said, and the others agreed in varying states.

“I mean, I go to Japan every summer, so besides school, I’m not in the US that much.” Mari answered.

“Well, since the general consensus is no, how would you all like to take a semester long vacation across the US. We hit all the continental states, so no Alaska or Hawaii. They gave us a free pass on classes, as long as the assignments are completed, and we all get to be together. The University had a competition for bigger groups to win a semester off to travel and “broaden our horizons”, and I entered us. I got the news at the beginning of June, and started saving some money. The university is paying for a bus, and airplane tickets back, as well as giving us a small grant. Any other costs come out of our own pockets,” Ian explained.

“Wait, how much is this grant?” Wes asked, confused.

“A thousand dollars, collected from university sponsors. This is a very rare opportunity for the college and they need an answer soon. I talked to admissions so we can still get credit and they said that we will have an assignment based on curriculum, and it will need to be completed by the end of the year. I signed up for online classes this semester, so most stops will consist of doing homework. What do you say?” Ian asked, scared of the answers.

“How much time do we have to think about it?” Mari asked.

“Until the first day, which is Monday,” Ian said. Mari nodded and she made plans to email her professors about this and needing to get assignments.

“I’m in! This trip will be great for my history courses,” Damien said. Being history majors, he and Boze would probably have the easiest decision to make. They took nearly identical courses and the current history courses where American themed, lining up perfectly with the trip.  Boze nodded as well, signalling her willingness to join along.

“Yeah, I’ll talk to my teachers about the Russian language classes for my minor, but it shouldn’t be too big of an issue,” Boze said.

“They will probably assign Duolingo courses and have a set level you need to reach before the semester is over. I’m sure there are ways to track progress,” Damien assured.

“I’m in too! This shouldn’t affect my course load,” Wes explained.

“Yeah, I have an American Psych class this semester and this is the perfect way to learn it, and understand the surrounding environment.” Shayne said from Damien’s lap.

“I could get a newspaper from every state on the day we visit and make an American journalist project for my journalism class. I think my professor would agree,” Noah suggested.

Soon, everyone was agreeing and thinking of ideas for assignments to do. They ended the impromptu meeting and went to email professors about the trip. They explained it was a University sponsored trip and they would be absent for the semester. Whilst awaiting responses, they had a group meal before separating for the night. A couple people joined up in the living room to play games, while others headed to sleep. In the morning, they would have their responses and the first day of classes.

Early mornings weren’t the easiest, especially during the first week. The coffee pot was always empty and the kitchen was a flurry of activity. From prepping breakfast to eat in class, to gathering supplies and bags. It was a wonder that nobody got hurt. It was chaos in its purest form, with shouts about lost shoes and backpacks being tossed onto shoulders, barely missing someone’s cup of coffee. Ian stood back watching the chaos, wondering how they survived college in a mess like this. Then again, it was only the first day. Ian’s classes started midday, so he could start getting class assignments and scheduling rest stops for homework. This was an academic trip after all. Within 20 minutes, the house was quiet again as Ian cleaned up the mess from breakfast rush. Later classes was a perk for signing up for classes earlier. He only had an hour before he needed to head out as well. He showered quickly, and dresses before brewing a cup from the keurig machine and was out the door, prepared for gathering assignments.

Later that evening, Ian entered the house and found most of his housemates on the couch, tired eyes and bags discarded. It was as if they had entered and decided that stairs were too much effort. Most of them had assignments, but some had big projects due for the end of the semester. 

Olivia and Mari had weekly assignments of practicing different moves and staying on top of ballet. Olivia also had daily Duolingo assignments for her Chinese class. 

Sohinki, Joven, and Lasercorn had coding sheets to finish and were transferred to an online seminar class. Sohinki also had to turn in a finished manuscript for his Video Game writing class. 

Boze and Damien collaborated on a historical timeline for the United States, in the order they visited the states. Boze also had Daily Duolingo assignments for her Russian language class. Damien would be writing a report on famous American sociologists and their achievements. He would be compiling them into a map on where they were from and the significance they held. 

Courtney would be doing an American traveler inspired room. She would have to incorporate 10 pieces from local artisans, with at least of 3 canvas pictures and must incorporate the idea of "Wanderlust".

 The others had various smaller assignments that would be completed throughout the trip. Afterwards, they would become presentations. Noah recounted that his professor liked his idea and that would be his assignment. 

Ian smiled, feeling excited for this trip. It would be one for the history books. He noticed Mari biting her lip as she scrolled and typed on her phone. Concerned, he headed over.

“Everything okay Mar?” Ian asked, a worried tone in his voice. While everyone else was beaming and chatting idly about the trip, Mari withdrew, and she worried her bottom lip.

“Huh? Oh yeah. Just need to tell the studio that they need a new teacher while I’m away. The class is almost over, but they need a teacher to finish the last two weeks, so I need to let them know.” Mari explained, as she stared at the message app on her phone, grey dots blinking as a response was being typed.

“Shit, Mari! I forgot about your class! I’m sorry.” Ian exclaimed, slapping his forehead in realization that Mari had other obligations. He knew she couldn’t drop everything to traverse the country on a dime’s notice.

“It’s not your fault Ian! You’ve been working yourself sick these past few weeks in preparation for this trip. I didn’t nor ever expected you to remember every detail in all our lives. It’s okay! Look, the studio says they can bring in another teacher for the girls. There’s no issue.” Mari assured, an easy smile on her face, as she locked her phone. Standing up, she placed a hand on his arm, giving him one last smile, and reengaged in the conversation. Still regretting that he forgot about Mari’s classes, he took a deep breath before clapping his hands together. He gathered the attention of everyone, halting the conversation momentarily.

“Okay everyone. Let’s start packing! We have to be on the road by Wednesday.” He said, and so the chaos began, again.

 


	2. Motel in Seattle

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After breaking the news, the group rushes to ready themselves and get on the road. It's chaos, in the simplest of terms, yet they manage. First stop, Oregon and a visit to the capital! Afterwards, they head to Washington and sleep there.

The days following Ian’s announcement filled with complete and utter chaos. They found themselves scrambling to get assignments, start packing and clean the house. On top of this, a large bus sat outside, and was being filled with suitcases, and beginnings of bedding. The bunks sat seven high on each side and had a thin mattress covering the plywood that supported the bunks. Wood fixtures and curtains allowed for privacy within the bunks. Throughout the week, each bunk became claimed.

Between classes, Ian mapped out a route and received many frantic texts about funds. He assured his friends money was not going to be an issue, as they had been saving money with the “Swear Jar”. The "Swear Jar" was a simple mason jar that held coins and dollar bills. The older students despised the jar around exam week.

Ian started it shortly after moving into the place. It served as a way to curb the expletives coming from gaming sessions and late night studying. The biggest contributors were Joven and Lasercorn. They often grumbled about advanced classes and hackers in online games they played.

On their last night, Mari and Ian scoured the house incase anything was forgotten. Joven convinced Ian to upgrade the bus with WiFi, to cut fast food stops and allow them time to do homework. incase they were stuck in an area without WiFi. No one could deny that the WiFi would be useful for school purposes, among others.

 

In the morning, Ian roused everyone out of bed at the early time of 8:30. Ian had informed them that they needed to head out before 10:00 to ensure they arrived early enough. Keith was by far the grumpiest of the group, usually happy to drop down and take a nap somewhere it was convenient. Ian convinced them to finish loading of the bus. It was finished with a charging station in the “living area” of the bus, and the last of the bedding- blankets .

They stocked up on the last of their snacks and food and readied to start the trip officially. Ian was the first driver, and had the most experience with driving the bus. When first contacted, he was encouraged to take a driver’s test to have a “CDL with P” license. He earned the license, which promoted his entry forward, allowing them to win.

Afterwards, he convinced Mari, Damien and Sohinki to take the test as well so he wouldn’t be the sole driver of the trip. This was also to dissuade Ian from committing 13 murders in the duration of the trip. This was done with knowing that Ian would go crazy, staring at the road and getting behind on his classwork.

As Ian started the bus, he checked with everyone to see if they were good to go. He watched as his friends settled into various places, several heading to the bunks, he noted. Once given the okay, he pulled out into the street and moved to leave the campus grounds and towards the highway. Their trip was beginning now!

 

Boze followed Keith, Olivia and Lasercorn towards the bunks, which were in the very back of the bus. The bunks were small and you could hardly sit up in them, yet they were still comfortable. Boze claimed one of the ground bunks and crawled in. She wrapped herself in her blanket before dozing off again, exhausted. Last night had been filled with planning final projects for Russian and History classes. This results in minimal sleep and a grudge against the sun. While the thin mattress was not the most comfortable in the world, but her exhausted state allowed her to fall asleep. 

Shayne settled into the couch and pulled Damien with him, causing the other to fall into his lap. Damien’s cheeks flushed with slight embarrassment and moved to sit beside him. Shayne simply latched his arms around his waist, keeping Damien there. Sighing, he leaned back into his boyfriend’s chest and pulled out his phone to connect to the wifi. They took a cheesy picture, before settling into a light conversation. They watched as Mari moved to join Ian up front, presumably to chat and talk over the trip. Joven joined them on the couch and pulled out his laptop and began typing away .

“Whatcha up to Joven?” Shayne asked, looking at the bespectacled boy.

“Homework, advanced coding is a bitch and I don’t recommend it.” He answered before squinting at a line of code to decipher.

“Doesn’t sound fun, but good luck I guess.” Shayne replied. He smiled as Damien showed him some stupid memes and let Joven work in piece. The senior seemed stressed enough as it was, so he didn’t want to add to it. Soon, the couple moved to watch YouTube videos together, detangling headphones in the process. Their other friends sat around during various activities on phones or laptops. Mari returned to the living area to do some of her homework, and sat beneath Joven, her back rest against his shins. He ignored her presence and continued typing away.

 

“Hey everyone, we’re merging onto Pacific Coast Highway, if you want some candid pictures of the ocean.” Ian called out. Although they lived in California, a couple stopped to take pictures from the bus windows. After a couple pictures, they returned to their activities. Damien saw Sohinki slam a notebook shut before rubbing his eyes and going towards the bunks. Flitz following suit. Wes journeyed to the kitchen and grabbed a snack and drink before sitting down on the floor to work. Surrounded with an open economics text book, a Family Science book and his laptop. The stylus sat on his ear as he contemplated the exercises in the book. He took a drink before settling into work, writing something on his computer screen with the stylus. Leaving Wes to work in peace, Damien selected a movie to watch, settling into Shayne’s lap.

 

Of the two couples, Shayne and Damien were more comfortable with expressing their love. It was nothing drastic, mere kisses and lots of cuddling. Courtney and Olivia usually kept it between them, choosing to engage in private. None of their friends judged them, supporting their friends with open arms and hearts.

 

Their trip north was quiet, with occasional stops for gas. Around lunch, Ian stopped to stretch. Ian grimaced as he stretched, hearing the cracks as his joints reacquainted themselves with movement. 

The had only completed five hours of the trip and he was growing tired of sitting. They stopped to eat again, as a snack, which allowed Ian time from the bus to let his brain relax and clear his head. Mari suggested that she drive for a while, but Ian shut her down, not wanting to burden her to the driver’s seat. She insisted, reminding Ian of the CDL’s that she, Sohinki and Damien had gotten as per Ian’s request. It was clear that Ian had forgotten that fact and backed down, resigned. He was grateful that he could move across the bus as he wished. 

They finished their snack and Mari took the driver’s seat. She drove around the parking lot a bit getting used to the feel of the bus before merging back onto the highway. Ian immediately headed towards his bunk and barely had time to crawl in before a wave of sleep overtook him. Wes noticed this and maneuvered Ian’s leg into the bunk as well. Then, Wes and Joven headed moved to their bunks as well, turning in early. They were in San Francisco at the moment, but Ian’s schedule prevented them from stopping as he wanted to be in Oregon before the day ended.

The bunks filled up as the young adults went to bed, leaving Mari to her thoughts. She now understood why Ian was so tired from driving. The bouncy roads, and the deafening roar of the engine filled the senses. Headlights filled the mirrors, rendering them useless for lane passes. She smiled to herself when she spotted the welcome sign illuminated from the side of the road. The GPS unit alerted her that they were 10 minutes away from their destination, which happened to be a WalMart parking lot. Apparently, the snack stash was raided during the 10 hour drive and they needed a refuel.

The bus jostled itself into the parking lot, and Mari took a moment to fill up. She pulled into a spot near the back and parked the bus. Once vacating the seat, Mari placed the key there and locked the doors and windows, so nobody could get into the bus. She then headed to bed. She was asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow.

 

In the morning, Mari woke up to the sound of rustling sheets and the soft * _ pap*  _ as friends left their bunks. The sound coming from their bare feet hitting the linoleum flooring towards the front of the bus. She got out of her bunk and rubbed the sleep from her eyes. It wasn’t comfortable and she felt as if she didn’t get any sleep, and walked out to see her friends raiding the cabinets.

“Good morning.” She said, through a yawn.

“Morning! Donuts?” Ian asked, gesturing to a box of WalMart bakery glazed donuts. Off to the side sat muffin trays- two chocolate chip, two blueberry and 1 banana nut. She noticed that the banana nut muffins were furthest from the chocolate chip muffins. She suspected that was Wes’ doing, with his allergy and all. She took a donut and a blueberry muffin and began to eat, taking a seat at the bar.

“How was the drive?” Ian asked, sitting next to her at the bar.

“Long, my god it’s numbing to sit there for 5 hours with nothing to distract you.” Mari said, and took a bite of the donut. Flecks of the hardened glaze sat around her mouth, causing Ian to laugh and wipe them away. Mari blushed and ducked her head.

“Yeah, it’s tough. Thankfully, today’s drive is short. We’re doing some runs to get food, drinks and some utensils for eating before driving to Portland. There, we’re definitely seeing Powell’s City of Book, a Chinese Garden that Olivia wanted to see, and the Japanese garden you wanted.” Ian informed her. She nodded along.

“What else are we doing there?” Mari asked, after finishing her donut.

“I’m thinking lunch before Powell’s City of books, because it’ll be like a four hour drive, and it’s currently 10. I’m guessing we leave at 11 so that puts us there at like 3? After those three stops, we get dinner and then drive to Olympus?” Ian suggested. Mari nodded, and she went to get ready in the bathroom. 

They left the bus to get snacks and drinks at the WalMart. Ian revealed that he was the one to get breakfast with Boze and now they were getting snacks. They broke off into two teams, one snacks and one drinks. Wes deemed himself on the snack cart team and took off, Joven following behind him.

“Wes no!” was shouted at the retreating back of Wes, with the knowledge of what the boy planned to buy.

“Ugh, idiots.” Lasercorn groaned, and dragged Keith and Noah with him to keep an eye on them.

“Should someone go after them?” Shayne asked, a ghost of a smile on his face. When Mari stared him down, he took notice and headed off with Damien, grabbing his wrist. That left Flitz, Olivia, Courtney, Ian, Boze, Sohinki and Mari to get the drinks. Mari shook her head and directed the cart towards the drink section.

“Dibs on the cart!” Boze said, and ran ahead before jumping into the cart. The short girl sat , while an unfazed Mari continued steering the cart. Patrons of the store gave weird looks at the group of teenagers, but they ignored them, trucking on.

Wes was fast, but he had found the cookie aisle when Joven caught up, out of breath and a light sheen of sweat.

“Oh, hi Joven!” Wes said, noticing his newfound company. Joven huffed in return, still regaining his breath from the sprint across the store. Lasercorn strolled up, hands still gripping Keith’s and Noah’s. They were struggling to free themselves from Lasercorn’s death grip.

“Ow, Da-lasercorn, let go!” Noah complained, correcting himself. Lasercorn proved to be tenacious about his name change. He now refused to respond to “David”. This proved true when Mari was screaming at Lasercorn the night before about not being packed. He didn’t even bat an eye, until she let the name “Lasercorn” slip. Then he paid attention, only reigniting Mari’s ire. Mari was a friendly person, but when she entered “Mom mode”, that’s when shit hits the fan. 

Joven lectured Wes about running off, when Shayne and Damien arrived, flustered. They joined the all male team.

“So, what’s the plan?” Damien asked, moving to get a peak of the cart. There were plenty of snack cakes, ranging from Little Debbie to Hostess and even some gummies.

“Trying to persuade Wes to give up two boxes of snack cakes for a package of cookies. It’s not working.” Lasercorn responded, looking indifferent. It was a trait Lasercorn had mastered, the art of “Not Giving a Shit” as he called it. Joven finally persuaded Wes to give up two boxes and they put in a package of Oreos. They wrapped up their snack quest and checked out, seeing Mari and her team finish paying.

“See, if you’d just given in, we coulda beat Mari!” Joven said, looking at Wes. Wes merely shrugged.

“You were asking me to pick between Cosmic Brownies and Oatmeal Creme pies versus Oreos. That’s hardly an even fight.” Wes stated, a scowl on his face. Joven rolled his eyes.

“You are an addict.” Joven grumbled, his “Old Man’ persona coming out.

“If I’ve said it once, I’ve said it a thousand times! If I don’t have sugar, I’ll die.” Wes stated, and turned, ending the conversation.

“Dude, that’s hypoglycemia. Like, that’s an actual disease.” Damien said, a light chuckle in his voice. Wes shrugged and he placed a barrier on the conveyor belt and unloaded the cart. The cashier gave a look at the pile of snack cakes and raised his eyebrows. He finished up the previous customer’s transaction, wishing them a good day. He started the conveyor and began ringing up their treats.

“How are you doing?” He asked, making polite conversation.

“We’re doing well. Yourself?” Wes answered kindly. The guy shrugged.

“Not doing to bad myself. You all with them?” He asked, gesturing to Mari. They nodded.

“Yup, group road trip.” Wes answered briefly.

“Cool, I figured, since she was grumbling about some “stupid boys buying out the whole candy aisle.” He quoted, seeming indifferent.

 

They finished checking out and boarded the bus. Mari took the driver’s seat, while everyone stocked the cupboards and fridge before she started the bus.

“Ready? Portland, here we come!” She said and started driving. The GPS lead her to the highway and she merged on.

“Guys, this is going to be the best college semester!” Ian said, grinning. He was giddy and very excited.

“Hell yeah! What’re we doing?” Joven asked, sitting down next to Ian on the couch, his phone loosely held in his hand.

“It’s a surprise Joven.” Ian said, chuckling and he opened a book to do some reading. Joven scowled a little, but accepted that he wouldn't be getting an answer from Ian anytime soon. He decided to chill out and watch Sohinki and Lasercorn battle on Mortal Kombat. He called dibs on playing the winner.

The trip was pretty smooth, and they arrived to Portland after noon. They paused as Mari entered the city. Damien and Shayne dropped their controllers, and gearing up to get ready.

“Where to Ian?” Mari asked. Ian punched in an address and Mari nodded before navigating the roads. The drive was quiet, as the bus rolled throughout the streets, following the directions of it’s GPS. Soon, they pulled into a parking lot with many pretty flowers. Mari pulled towards the back of the lot, so they could park. Everyone scrambled to get ready to head out. Shoes tied, bags grabbed and phones shoved into pockets, as the bus was turned off and Mari got ready to get off.

Sunshine blared as the group exited the bus. They took in the site of an ornate, red sign reading “Portland’s Japanese Gardens”. They gathered around the bus doors, waiting for Ian. A dizzying floral scent wafted towards them on the cool breeze floating by. Ian lead the group towards the entrance. They began to explore the winding paths, breaking off into small duos.

Shayne and Damien disappeared one way, the girls a second, Lasercorn, Sohinki and Joven a third way. As Keith and Noah departed after the girls, it left Wes, Flitz and Ian.

They wandered down the central path and took in the sights and sounds. Along the path sat post-bloom Cherry Blossom trees. The trio meandered through the gardens and found a secluded little pond. The pond had weeping willows around the far edge, the pliable branches dipping into the water and swayed in the breeze. The little area added a sense of mystification. Bright flowers, bubbling creeks and beautiful Japanese architecture made the trip exquisitely beautiful. Their trip was a delightful way to get some fresh air off of the bus, and a good way to stretch. They each captured plenty of pictures from the gardens and even bought a couple things from the gift shop.

Mari drove into the city, and pulled into a bus-appropriate parking garage. Mari was quick to find a parking spot. This time, there was less scramble to get ready and they journeyed to the ground level. Upon exiting the parking garage, they stood outside a simple storefront. It read with large black letters “POWELL’S BOOKS” with an anecdote that was too far away to read underneath.

“Welcome nerds, to the largest, independent bookstore in Oregon, and maybe the US? I’m not sure. It occupies an entire city block and houses about a million books, new and used! Go on and search!” Ian declared and watched them as they crossed the street and entered the bookstore. He eventually followed but liked watching them stare in amazement. Ian figured that Mari, Shayne and Flitz would enjoy the store the most, considering they did the most reading. The stop also served a second purpose. It was a way to give his friends something else to do, besides play games and do homework. The trip was only in it’s second official day and Ian was weary from being on the road.

The stop at the Powell’s Books store took longer than anticipated. When Ian stepped inside, and saw how big the place was, he knew that cutting out Lan Su gardens would be a good idea. The price point and the fact that they would be visiting more gardens and parks along the trip solved most of Olivia's qualms. She gave in when Ian explained that they would stop at other gardens as well.

After nearly three hours, Ian texted the group-chat that they needed to hurry up, and buy what they were going to get. He hated cutting trips and stops short, but they did need to get back on the road for dinner and get to Seattle. After spending the night in the bunks, he rearranged the budget to include a couple more motel stops. That way, they wouldn’t develop back pains and problems during the trip.

The group slowly began to emerge from the depths of the store, holding backs and little trinkets. Mari held a To-Go coffee, stating that there was a cafe in the store and they walked back to the parking garage to board the bus. Arms loaded down, and weary feet, but bright smiles as they entered the bus and set their stuff down.

The drive was just long enough for the weariness to leave their bodies. Seattle at night was beautiful, and serene. Ian drove them to a motel. A couple looks of confusion were thrown around as they looked at the dimly lit motel.

“Uh Ian? What are we doing here?” Shayne asked, standing up.

“We’re sleeping here tonight. I called in a reservation for three rooms tonight. It’s the cheapest way and going to be more comfortable than the bunks. Remember guys, this trip is several months long and those bunks are going to be awful after a while. I’ve set aside money for these stops.” Ian explained.

“Wait, three rooms?” Joven asked.

“Yes Joven. Three rooms. Two for the guys, one for the girls. Feel free to stay on the bus, but sharing a bed for one night won’t kill you.” Ian said with a lilt of humor and a condescending tone. He also had a slightly judgmental expression, causing Joven to feel slightly ashamed.

“Sorry.” He said meekly. Ian nodded and he lead them out of the bus, to the storage unit to get their luggage. After getting luggage and chargers, ian locked the bus for the night. He noted that no one stayed on the bus, and gave himself a mental pat on the back. He checked them in and paid for two nights, just in case and received the keys. He handed a key to Mari. She led the girls up to their room and the guys followed them. The younger guys decided to room together, and Flitz offered to stay with them as well.  So, the other room wasn’t so crowded with the tallest boys sharing a bed, cramming the other three in a bed. Ian felt the awkward, but no one else commented on the situation and they separated into the two rooms.

 

In the girls room, Mari went to the small bathroom to shower and change. The water smelled metallic. This made her think the water softener needed some more salt. She showered quickly and cleaned her face before changing quickly and tying her hair in a towel to dry it. When she exited the bathroom, Boze went in. Olivia and Courtney told her that they were thinking of just using one bed, since they were small enough and use the other bed for their luggage. That way they didn’t trip over it in the morning. Mari agreed and she hoisted her abandoned bag onto the second bed.

“Let’s not tell the guys.” She suggested. Courtney laughed.

“That was the plan.”

“What they don’t know won’t kill them.” Olivia chimed in with a smile. Mari laughed and she sat down on the edge of the bed, towel drying her hair. The purple was starting to fade, but she didn’t want to re-dye it on the trip. 

The girls showered , and joined each other in the bed. They snuggled together and quickly fell asleep.

Meanwhile, in the first boys room, Ian was unaware to the awkward glances at the double beds. Joven, Lasercorn, Sohinki and Wes were waiting for him when he got out.

“Yes?” he asked, looking at them confused.

“How are we sleeping?” Lasercorn asked.

“Uh… I’m not sure. Do you guys want to push the beds together?” Ian offered, confused.

“We can, but that means putting them back in the morning.” Sohinki pointed out.

“Fair, but point stands. Do you guys want to draw straws? The two longest will share a bed and the other three are stuck in the other?” Ian asked.

“Sure. Who’s cutting the straws?” Sohinki asked.

“Mari.” They said at the same time. They headed to the girl’s room and knocked. Courtney answered.

“Yes?” She asked, tiredly.

“Where’s Mari?” Ian asked.

“Showering. Whatcha need?” She asked.

“Can you cut straws for us?” Ian asked. She rolled her eyes and nodded. Sighing, she backed into the room and grabbed straws from the complimentary basket. She shielded the straws as she took a pocket knife offered by Wes to cut the straws in different heights.

“Okay boys, pick you straws.” She said and shielded the lengths by her hands. One by one, they pulled straws. Joven’s face dropped as he picked the shortest. Ian pulled the longest and held it up, watching as Wes and Lasercorn measured their straws. Sohinki’s was the second smallest, only being a little taller than Joven’s. Courtney confirmed that Lasercorn’s was the second longest. She handed Wes his knife and moved to shut the door. The boys left and headed back. They finished getting ready and Ian got under the covers, and plugged his phone in. He set an alarm for the morning and laid down. Before he drifted off, he felt the bed dip as Lasercorn got in. He felt his presence before falling asleep.

 

In the other boys room, they took one look at Shayne and Damien and decided to not be a third wheel. Besides the girls, this was the easiest bed decision. Keith found himself spooned by the other boys but as he fell asleep, he found that he didn’t care. After all, this was just a motel in Seattle, where he had his friends.

  
  



	3. Day In Seattle

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mari’s face contorted into a grimace of disgust and Shayne couldn’t blame her. It was impressive and he even saw some people add their own gum to the wall. The opposite wall was covered in colorful graffiti. He noticed how the wall was beginning to spread to other buildings and even across the alley. Then, he saw the drippings. Just dangles of gum where it was probably pulled and he shuddered and took a couple pictures. The concept of a wall of gum was really cool, and seeing the dedication to preserve the site was well worth it, yet Shayne couldn’t help but feel weirded out by the concept.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> whaaaaaaat??? This chapter is totally not THREE WEEKS LATE!... i'm sorry its not as long, but i promise to make it up for you! <3

 Warmth, arms, haze, and snoring. This is what Ian awoke to. The arms belonged to Lasercorn, and they trapped him their. Not that Ian minded. Lasercorn was infamous with cuddling and snuggling while sleeping. Joven forever held it above the orange-haired boy’s head. The warmth was from the thick sheets on the motel beds and the closeness of Lasercorn. The snoring from the other boys in the other bed was quite quiet.  The daylight filtering through the blinds caught on the dust created a hazy glow to the otherwise bland room  . Ian moved to crane his head, but the groan of complaint from Lasercorn prevented him. Ian scowled but relaxed again, instead grabbing his phone from its spot on the bedside table.  Lasercorn shifted and tightened his grip around Ian’s waist, causing Ian to blush a bit when the latter nuzzled his cheek against Ian’s shoulder  . Ian let out a small huff of a laughter before scrolling through his phone.  Instagram, Twitter and facebook messages took up most of his notifications, while the rest were texts  .  Apparently  the other’s couldn’t sleep as well and forgot the groupchat had everyone. Or they didn’t forget, Ian hardly knew.  He scrolled through, seeing it was complaints about Damien and Shayne’s obsessive cuddling and the lack of space . Ian chuckled and texted out a quick message.

**To: Roadtrip Groupies**

**From: daddyIan**

**What do you guys want for breakfast?**

 

He didn’t expect to get a text for a while and settled into bed again. He didn’t want to leave the warm covers, but also didn’t want to embarrass Lasercorn.  Lasercorn had a thing about touchiness and usually grew embarrassed when he found out about his habit of cuddling  . Joven was the main cause,  constantly  teasing, but meant no harm. Ian sighed and closed his eyes, hoping to catch a little more sleep before having to head out again. Seattle was a wonderful city and he wanted to enjoy it as much as he could. Especially since their bus rides would be short.  He wanted to use the city transportation, rather than the coach, since they were in the city and it would save them gas money  . Mari would argue that the combined bus fares would equate the cost of filling the bus once. So he chose not to tell her until they were already committed. As he thought about the day, he  slowly  drifted off again, relishing in the comfort.

A quarter till ten was the time when Ian reawoke. The warmth, arms and snoring had dissipated as the others had woken up. He realized the absence of Lasercorn’s arms around him and a small pang hit in in the chest. Confusion filled his mind as he tried to logic why.  Lasercorn was his friend and there shouldn’t be a reason that he should feel sad about not being able to cuddle with the carrot top a little more  . Yet, he still was.  Unable to identify the cause, Ian sat up and saw Lasercorn perched on the edge of the bed, his headphones on and a content smile on his face  . Ian smiled  softly  and stretched hearing small pops in his back. The bed, while comfortable, was lumpy and  probably  needed a new mattress. Swinging his legs from under the covers, ian moved to stand up so he could get ready. The rush of water in the pipes alerted Ian that someone was in there, and from process of elimination it was Wes. Joven and Sohinki were chilling on the bed, talking  amicably  and relaxed.

“Morning.” Ian said, a yawn following the greeting.

“Morning Ian, how’d you sleep?” Sohinki asked, pausing his conversation with Joven.

 

“I slept fine. You guys?” He asked.

 “Better than expected.  Thankfully  , none of us kick in our sleep, so no bruised legs.” Sohinki shrugged. Ian nodded, in agreement.  The shower handle squeaked and soon, a dressed Wes left the bathroom, a light trail of steam escaping into the cooler room . Ian sighed and stood up to get a shower. He grabbed his stuff and extra clothes before closing the door. The scent of Wes’ bodywash permeated the air, a light scent of cucumber ticking Ian’s nose. He started the shower again and undressed, before stepping under the warm water.

 

 

In the other boy’s room, they were having a peaceful morning. Keith squirmed his way to freedom from the sandwich he found himself in. For as small as Noah is, he had a deathgrip on Keith. Keith managed to pull his arm free and went to shower, taking advantage of the newfound freedom. Flitz laid splayed out, and his leg  was shoved  off Keith during his struggle. In the other bed, Damien and Shayne laid close, soft smiles on their faces, which made Keith’s heart soften. His two friends being in love filled him with pride and he tore his eyes away so he could shower.

While Keith showered, Flitz awoke and sat up, noticing Keith had escaped.  He figured that’s what the shoving was from, and seeing the white-knuckled grip on a pillow in Noah’s grasp, Flitz understood . The sound of rushing water, indicated that Keith was in the shower. He checked his phone for updates and texts, while waiting for the shower. In the other bed, he heard a groan and the sheets rustling.

“What time izit?” A groggy voice asked, still rough with sleep.

“9 o’clock.” Flitz answered simply. Another groan was heard before a soft *pap* was heard as their head dropped onto a pillow.

 

“Hey, before you go to sleep, whatcha want for breakfast? Ian’s getting some.” Flitz asked.

 

“ Just  some straight fucking coffee and a muffin?” The voice asked.

 

“He’s getting it from the McDonald’s across the street, so pick an actual sandwich.” Flitz retorted.

 

“Ugh fine. A sausage McMuffin and coffee.” The voice groaned and then fell silent. Flitz tapped out his and the voice’s orders as the water turned off and Keith exited the bathroom, dressed. Flitz went in next and showered  quickly  . When he got out, the other boys had woken up. The voice turned out to be a very groggy Shayne, who scowled at the prospect of  being woken  up. Flitz offered the shower, and Damien took it. Their morning was quiet and peaceful as Flitz texted another breakfast order to Ian.

 

By the time they all had showered, Ian knocked on their door and delivered breakfast, a very tired and withdrawn Lasercorn at his side  . Flitz assumed that Lasercorn had  been woken  up to get breakfast and still wanted to sleep.  He guessed from the hazy look in his eyes, and the fact the redhead was still in pajamas, and had his IronMan sweatshirt on . Flitz thanked them and took the food, before letting them go eat. The other four boys pounced on the food, claiming their drinks and orders. After scarfing down breakfast, they finished getting ready and packing their bags. They met the group in the hall, bags in hand. Ian led them to the bus, where they put their bags under the coach.

 

 

“Okay, we’re taking a bus tour of the city. It  was recommended  , and the bus  is locked  and protected, so nothing is took. I figured it would be a fun way to explore the city, without dragging the bus everywhere.” Ian explained. He led them to the spot they would board the new bus and Ian distributed tickets for the tour.

A grey bus approached the pick up stop, and a man stepped out. He held up a bullhorn and began to speak,

 

 

“Good morning everyone, and welcome to Seattle! My name is Ryan and I’ll be your guide today. How many new folks do we have today?” He asked. Hands shot up in response.

 

“Great! Well, first let me welcome you all to our city. It’s great to have you all here. Today, we are traveling to the big tourist spots and we’ll end the tour by the Space Needle.  Those of you who purchased the Platinum package, please make sure to grab your visa for the gift shop at the Space Needle before you leave  . Does anyone have any questions?” He asked. Seeing no hands, he moved aside and gestured for the passengers to board. As their group approached the doors, they got to see the guide a little better. He was taller than imagined, with a  portly  belly. His brown hair was short and cropped, with sideburns leading to a semi-filled beard. He had a smile on his face and followed after them. They headed towards the back, hoping to stay  relatively  together. Shayne looked down at the ticket and saw it was the standard package, which made sense to him.  He guessed the platinum package was rather expensive, if it had a gift shop voucher attached to the price tag . The bus roared to life as the driver merged onto the street. Ryan stood up and grabbed a speaker then grabbed a pole, to help steady his balance.

 

“Right now, we are heading towards Downtown, where we’ll see the Gum Wall, which is an ever growing wall of chewed up gum. One of the more obscure tourist sights. People  are encouraged  to add to the wall, if they please. Next, we’ll drive by the Seattle Aquarium. If you wish to stop, and get off, please let myself know when I announce it. Next, we’ll drive by the Pop Culture Museum and end the Downtown tour at the Space Needle. If you wish to continue on the tour, do not get off. If you do wish to end your tour, please feel free to get off.” Ryan announced. They rumbled through the streets and out of the corner of his eye, Shayne could see the Space Needle.  For a bus tour, the speakers were good and could  be heard  over the roar of the engine, which was kind of a surprise for Shayne, but he wasn’t complaining .

Ryan rambled about some places for good food, and fun spots familiar to the locals. The bus rambled  amicably  throughout the streets before pulling into a parking lot.

 

 

“Alright folks, welcome to the Gum Wall, well not yet. The wall is in a narrow alley so we’ll be walking there.” Ryan said, as the bus  was turned  off. The guide hopped off and people began following suit. The gum wall was exactly like Shayne imagined. The alley  was covered by  metal, to protect the gum, he guessed. The wall was a grimey reddish grey with age and covered in an array of chewed gum. Mari’s face contorted into a grimace of disgust and Shayne couldn’t blame her. It was impressive and he even saw some people add their own gum to the wall. The opposite wall  was covered  in colorful graffiti. He noticed how the wall was beginning to spread to other buildings and even across the alley. Then, he saw the drippings.  Just  dangles of gum where it was  probably  pulled and he shuddered and took a couple pictures.  The concept of a wall of gum was  really  cool, and seeing the dedication to preserve the site was well worth it, yet Shayne couldn’t help but feel weirded out by the concept .

 

Leaving the gum wall, they headed back to the tour bus and listened as the bus rumbled back to life.  Shayne noted that Mari looked  noticeably  less ill as they distanced themselves from the wall  . The gray overhanging clouds cast an eerie glow in the city, thick with moisture. The next notable stop was the Space needle. Ryan, of course stopped the bus to point out museums and little shops, talked throughout the trip. Shayne admired his knowledge yet wished he could enjoy the city sights  peacefully . The pop culture museum caught his eye, and he prodded Ian about returning there. Ian nodded and Shayne smiled.

 

They neared the Space Needle and that’s where the group got off. They wished the driver and guide a good day and stood on the sidewalk as the bus roared away. The building was huge. Ian guided them to the sign for some pictures. They headed to the gift shop to get some souvenirs before heading back. They hail a city bus and get off at the Pop Culture museum. They got off and wandered the grounds.  The abstract art pieces littered around were each captured by Courtney, who  was determined  to get a picture of this for her assignment  . The inside  was segregated by  different media forms. There was social media, art, music and tv shows/movies.  They flocked around the movies/tv show area, observing the Marvel pieces, the daleks, and Star Trek memorabilia . Wes captured a picture of the fencing swords used in “the Princess Bride” duel. Mari went to the gift shop to buy some Doctor Who stuff, including a Dalek plush, which Flitz laughed at.

 

After the Pop Culture museum, they boarded another bus to get back to the motel. It was early evening by the time they got back. Ian unlocked the bus so they could store their souvenirs there. Dinner plans were McDonald’s again and they stormed the restaurant, taking up the back area.  The fats food employees looked miffed when they began rearranging the furniture, so ian stopped it  . He didn’t want to gain the ire of the underpaid employees and they put it back.  Ian suggested they  just  take some booths and Damien, Olivia, Mari and Joven went to claim some tables near each other as they others ordered .

 

 

Dinner was quick and afterwards they headed to the motel again. They gathered in their rooms with the same pair ups, and collapsed.  The day seemed low-energy but Shayne found himself  physically  drained as he cuddled with Damien  . Damien wrapped his arms around Shayne’s waist, pulling him closer. Without showering or changing, Shayen found that he didn’t care. He was  perfectly  contempt right here, in Damien’s arms.

 

The next morning was not as peaceful, Ian found. Lasercorn was still there, in his arms but he was awake, light brown eyes looking into Ian’s face. Ian felt his cheeks flush with heat as he realized that Lasercorn knew and he wasn’t moving. Horror dawned in Lasercorn’s eyes as he scrambled away, and Ian laid there, chest pounding. His head started racing at the implications.  Blindly  standing, he stumbled to the open bathroom, and closed the door, turning the water on, letting the sound of the water clear his head  . He didn’t know if it this meant that Lasercorn liked him, or if it was  just  a happy accident. He cursed realizing he left his clothes out there and raced to grab them before starting his shower.

 

 

Lasercorn found himself in a similar predicament. He worried his bottom lip as he tried to solve the mystery that were his feelings. Sure, he liked Ian. He let them live in the house, and brought them on this trip, but was that where it stopped? No, Ian was like a big brother. He was ready to drop everything and listen if someone needed some help. He worked two jobs as well as a full schedule and still managed to see them every morning.

 

The shower tap turned off, jolting Lasercorn from his mindless thoughts and he hid away to get his stuff and avoid Ian  . He ignored the puppy dog eyes Ian cast his way as he entered. The steam from ian’s shower carried the scent of his cucumber body wash, which overrode his senses.  Lasercorn inhaled the scent allowing it to wash over his body in bliss before snapping, realizing how weird that was. Ian was like his brother, so why was he enjoying his body wash scent. Shaking head as a physical way to remove the thoughts, David readied for his shower.

The rest of the morning was uninteresting as they checked out of the motel, boarded the bus and departed Seattle  . Ian  was seated  up front, their next destination keyed into the GPS device. Lasercorn laid on the couch, feet resting in Joven’s lap as the other played on his phone, earbuds in.  The ride was quiet, yet the others took turns on the gaming system, rotating between Mario kart, Mortal Kombat and various other multiplayer games . The scenery whizzed by in an array of green and browns as David’s mind slipped between waking and sleep. His head bobbed with the movements of the bus. Mari forced him to sit up for a bit before he laid back down, head in her lap. The casual intimacy reminded him of the motel again. All he could think before nodding off again a recurring thought-

 

 

_“I’m not gay, am I?”_


	4. Las Vegas Lights

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The gang arrives to Las Vegad to party it up and vanish int the night after some drinking.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So sorry that this chapter took so long to come out. Life has a way of getting out of control and now its settled, chapters may become shorter but more often. Thank you all for your patience! <3

Idaho Falls was extremely cute town. Houses dotted the lonesome road leading into the town. There was a small shopping center, mostly closed down shops, a motel with a flickering red “Vacancy” sign, with an empty parking lot. Noah commented that it looked like a place for a horror movie. Joven promised that they would not be staying  _ there _ . There was a general store as well and that was the extent of the town that could be seen in the darkness. They stopped there after twelve excruciatingly long hours. They dumped their dinner trash at the last trash can, and now everyone was lounged in sweats on the floor, drifting between rounds of Super Smash Bros. and lounging on their phones.

Damien, the current driver, pulled into a rest stop just outside Idaho Falls and shut the bus off. The parking lot was filled with idling tractor trailers. The rest stop itself was closed, due to the late hours, yet that didn’t deter exhausted travelers trekking up the concrete paths to the door, stopping just short to see the orange diamond side proclaiming the rest area closed. He stood up and stretched before joining Shayne on the couch, curling into the blond’s form. Shayne held him and rubbed his back, mostly working out the knots in Damien’s shoulders. Mari smiled, watching Damien physically melt into Shayne’s touch. 

“Okay, I’m going to bed. Good night guys.” She said, and retreated to the bunks. Several others had already retired, their curtains drawn shut. 

 

Out in the main area, the others had sat down to do homework, taking advantage of the quiet. The game system had been turned off and the controllers put away. Headphones in, pencils out, and papers strewn around the floor in complete and utter, organized chaos. The starry night twinkled as they worked, the windows propped to let the air circulate lazily. Shayne held Damien as he read his textbook, answering questions his professor left him. The brunet was soundly sleeping, the last four hour stretch being tiresome with the lessened traffic as the night grew. Shayne rested the book on Damien’s shoulder, his other hand running itself through the short brown hair. He continued on with his work, moving to the floor, and coaxing Damien to do so as well. He protested but gave in realizing he could sleep while Shayne did homework. 

Once he finished, he pulled a blanket off the couch and settled in. He wouldn’t dare move right now and accepted his life as becoming one with the linoleum flooring on the bus. He didn’t care, as Damien wound his arms around his waist, hugging Shayne, his head resting on Shayne’s thigh. Courtney sat criss cross in front of her computer, a pen holding her hair at bay while pouring over online design catalogs. 

Courtney often complained about the lack of online resources, and Shayne knew better than to make a jest at the girl, so he let her work in peace. The pen was swiftly pulled from its spot and locks of blonde hair tumbled from their previous spot, causing Courtney to huff in annoyance. She continued working though, only using a bobby pin to tuck her hair away. Wes had also closed his book and grabbed a snack from the cupboard. He ate it quickly before retreating to the bunks. Courtney sighed and she eventually put her computer away.

“You coming Shayne?” She asked, slightly exasperated.

“Nah, Dame’s asleep, so I’ll stay here with him. We’re just driving tomorrow right?” He asked.

“Something like that? I don’t know. Sleep tight, I guess.” She said, and flicked the light off on her way. Shayne tugged Damien closer and pressed a kiss to the top of his head before relaxing and let sleep wash over him. 

 

The morning arrived quickly and when Shayne woke up, Joven was at the counter brewing coffee, his black hair standing up in weird directions, yet Joven couldn’t care less. He was currently wearing his glasses, and stifled a yawn as he mixed some creamer into the coffee before taking a drink. He grimaced a little, as they snagged some of the coffee pouches from the motel in Seattle. Regardless, it was hotel style coffee, but it’s better than buying their own. 

Shayne, slowly woke up, and maneuvered the stille sleeping Damien a little bit. He slowly sat up and winced as his body reminded him that sleeping on hard surfaces wasn’t a wise choice. No matter how cute your boyfriend is. He noticed Damien stir, and felt bad for moving around so much. Damien gave him a small smile, noticing the blond and leaned up to give him a small peck. Shayne smiled and tousled Damien’s hair.

 They stood up and made their way to the kitchen as well, getting some breakfast. With the bus idle, Joven set to making some breakfast. He quiet instructed the couple on making pancakes and the egg scramble- Joven’s Huevos Rancheros. Shayne and Damien followed the instructions and helped whip up enough to feed everyone. The smell of the eggs, sizzling bacon and pancakes roused everyone, who were delighted to see an actual breakfast made. 

“Ah Jovie! Thank you!” Mari cheered, placing a small peck on Joven’s cheek, eliciting a stunned gasp and instant redness on his face. Damien chuckled lightly at the now embarrassed Joven, and Shayne assumed the reaction would be well worth it. They quickly grabbed their own portions

“How’d you guys sleep?” Shayne asked.

“Fine, you?” Ian asked.

“It was a little rough, but nothing too terrible.” Shayne said.

“What do you mean?” Ian asked, confused. 

“Dumb and Dumber slept on the floor. Damien fell asleep and Shayne couldn’t be bothered to move him so they slept on the floor.” Courtney explained, rolling her eyes at the boys. Shayne merely shrugged. 

“You try arguing with a sleeping body.” He retorted. Courtney rolled her eyes and took a bite of the eggs. They chatted idly while devouring the breakfast. They stopped into the rest stop for a bathroom and change break and then headed back out. Ian drove, following the cobalt blue course lined by the GPS. They were estimated to land in their destination at approximately 11:30, which prompted a big grin from Ian. Keith looked a little put off by the grin and decided to work on some songs he was writing. Others followed his lead and soon the organized chaos of homework overtook almost every surface of the bus. Ian glanced back every so often and found them all studiously working. He smiled, and focused back on the road. The hum of the bus was disturbed every so often by shuffling papers, and Ian eventually turned up the radio to softly sing in order to have something else. The expanse of road and the cars dotting the road as well, helped keep Ian on course, but considering the location was an essential straight shot down, Ian couldn’t help but feel bored driving. 

Movement out of the corner of his eye snapped his attention, and he relaxed see Mari’s purple hair.

“Hey Mar.” He said, as a yawn escaped.

“Hey Ian, getting tired?” She asked.

“Nah, just bored.” He answered, ignoring the sudden onset of exhaustion land around his eyes. They began to itch slightly, as his body reminded him that staring at never ending road exhausted the mind and body. He pushed through, however. 

“Do you wanna switch, so you can rest or are you good?” Mari asked. Ian contemplated. He knew that after a while, the itchy and sleepy feeling would fade naturally, but he also hated sitting still for hours on end. In the background he could here Joven, Sohinki, Lasercorn and wes start up a Magic! The Gathering tournament. As long as nothing was broken, he didn’t mind.

“Let’s switch at the next exit?” Ian asked, as they passed an off-ramp. Mari nodded and Ian merged to the left lane , knowing he’d be needed off soon. The blue sign of an upcoming exit whizzed by and Ian looked for a gas station, or fast food place so he could make the switch. The next sign showed some restaurant and fast food places. He kept an eye for a gas station, preferring it to a parking lot, and smiled when he saw a chain of gas stations listed at the exit. When the off ramp approached, Ian flipped his blinker on and merged slowly to the exit lane, managing to squeeze himself between some cars and exited. He turned into a Semi-truck gas station and stopped the bus in the parking lot instead of at a pump. 

“Should we fill up, just in case?” Mari asked, before Ian turned the bus off. He looked at the gas gauge and while it was still three quarters full, he knew they should take advantage of this stop and fuel up, no matter. Sighing, he shifted the bus back into Drive and pulled into a pump and climbed out, card at the ready to pay. Mari quickly pushed him out of the way and bought the quarter tank of gas. Ian smiled appreciatively before heading to the store for a bathroom break. When he got back, Mari had just collected the receipt and was climbing back in. Ian caught the door and climbed on as well. He did a quick head count and found everyone still on. He let Mari take the driver’s seat before plopping down into the passenger seat, phone out and headphones ready. 

“All ready?” Mari asked. She got a chorus of “yes”s back and she turned the key and the bus roared back to life. 

“Alright, away we go!” She said and pulled the bus back onto the highway and speeding towards their destination. Ian settled into the passenger chair, and reclined it back. He adjusted his position and curled into a ball. After pressing play on a playlist, Ian closed his eyes and let the music drift through his head and lulled him to sleep.  

 

The bus bumbled down the road, dusk slowly encompassing the sky in a fiery grip, leaving the sky a bruised navy sky, purple colored clouds dotting the sky, as the stars began to twinkle. Mari followed the highway to an exit, leading her to their destination. Mari smiled as the road lead her to Las Vegas strip. The bright lights from various casinos, hotels and bars blinded the dozing occupants. Mari pulled into a parking lot.

“Hey guys, who wants to party?” She asked. Everyone stood up, and blearily peered at their new location.

“Las Vegas?” Joven asked.

“Hell yes!” Lasercorn said, grinning excitedly. Any and all thoughts of sleep were quickly defenestrated out the proverbial window .They took a moment to change into more appropriate clothes. Less sweats, more make-up. Even the guys allowed the girls to apply some eyeliner, contour and some shimmering glitter to their faces. They descended out of the bus, a newfound excitement in their eyes. They managed to get into one of the nearby clubs with a quick flash of Ian’s ID. The bouncer escorted them through.

 

The music pounding through their bodies, and Damien believed that the music was physically altering his heartbeat. The bass of the current sounding forcing itself to echo through his body. The lights strobe and flashed along with the beat. He honestly thought that it was a physical representation of anxiety. People bopped to the music’s pulsating beat, and a heavy stench of sweat and booze hung over everyone’s heads in a gross cloud of human social expectations.

 As soon as they entered, Damien watched his friends easily assimilate into the throbbing crowd of early twenty-some college students drinking away their student debt and gross older folks trying to reignite their pasts. Damien fought his way to the sidelines and settled on people-watching instead of joining. He kept eyes on his female friends. He was extremely aware that they could hold their own against creepers, yet it never hurt to be cautious. They were on a road trip away from college, and for practically all of them, their families were miles upon hundreds/thousands of miles away. 

He kept track of drinks for some of his friends he recognized- typically Mari, Flitz, Lasercorn and Ian. They stood out against the crowd. Mari and Flitz sparkled like diamonds with the amount of facial glitter, highlight and metallic shimmers catching the lights at any time. Plus, Mari’s vibrant purple hair had a weird glow to it- presumably the black lights littering the walls of the club in zigzag patterns. The black bricks of the club glowed with the neon papers littering the available space, giving an ethereal glow to the place. Lasercorn and Ian seemed weirdly joined at the hip tonight. They grabbed more drinks than anyone else, which worried Damien slightly.

Within a couple hours, Damien sighed and he conceded to drinking water. Without dancing or drinking, Damien realized just how  _ boring _ clubs can be. Soon, he noticed three figures of smaller stature stumbling and holding onto each other as they made their way to the door. He went to help them and recognized them. The smallest girl was between the other two was definitely Boze. Her platform shoes added an extra six inches to her height, and right now, she was one misstep away from broken ankles.

“Hey Boze!” he said loudly, catching her attention.

“Damien! Hiiii~!!” She slurred, drunkenly lunging and latching her arms onto him. He caught her as her ankles gave way and gently stood her upright, and wrapped a protective arm around her waist, ignoring the heavy smell of alcohol on her breath. He smiled and gently lead her out as she tittered about drunkenly. The other two girls- Olivia and Courtney stood. They swayed slightly, indicating they were also drunk, but to a lesser extent than Boze. He stopped moving and told Boze to climb on his back. She was becoming more and more of a hazard to herself and him as she stumbled along with those shoes. Nodding in agreement, she did and latched herself on his back, wrapping her arms and legs around his torso. 

He felt her head lay on his shoulder and passed out. He hefted her up, and grabbed her legs and leaned forward to keep her on his back. He moved his elbows out to Courtney and Olivia so they could hold onto him and not fall in their heels- borrowed from Boze. Slowly he lead the three girls to the bus and helped them on. Ensuring they were safely in the bus, and after essentially hiding anything that could hurt them, he left them on the bus and made sure to lock the deadbolt and the hand lock, and headed back. He felt like he would have to help his friends back. 

On his way back, he saw a slightly tipsy Joven latched onto an extremely inebriated Mari. Sohinki who didn’t really drink watched them. He nodded his head, and Damien stopped to inform him of the equally drunk girls back on the bus. Sohinki thanked him and they headed their separate ways. Flitz was still dancing and Damien let him dance a bit. He didn’t seem too intoxicated. Damien found Shayne at the bar drinking, with Keith and Noah lounging nearby. 

Wes was surrounded by girls, and Damien smiled as he grinned and let the girls talk his ear off. However, when they started making moves, he grew stiff. Damien swooped in to help him. He excused his friend Wes, talking loudly about his friends looking all over for him. Wes physically relaxed seeing Damien and followed him, casting the now surly girls apologetic looks. 

Damien noticed one roll her eyes and pulled her friends away, her skirt swishing with her hips, in a way that demanded attention. Damien shook his head, admiring her confidence but knew she had the wrong equipment. Her green eyes, and dark hair while alluring with the sultry and alcohol filled gaze, were no match for the beautiful baby blues of his favorite person. 

Slowly, with the help of Sohinki, Damien moved his friends onto the bus and left them to sleep the alcohol off. They were in a cuddled in a big pile and after downing an energy drink, Damien departed from Las Vegas, the twinkling lights and bumping bass fading into the desert as Damien drove away. Sohinki took to putting their friends to bed and setting up the morning after care. Waters, ibuprofen and neck pillows to alleviate the stress in case they vomited. He pulled the couches out into the beds and put three to a bed and moved the others into the lower bunks. Afterwards he joined Damien upfront and settled into the passenger seat and chatted idly with Damien as they drove towards their next location. 

The drive through the desert was boring and obscenely long, much to Damien’s disappointment. He dismissed Sohinki two hours into the drive to sleep and downed another energy drink. As they coasted into Tucson, Arizona the sun was beginning to rise. Damien pulled into a parking lot, locked the bus and fell asleep, as the foot of one of the beds. 


	5. Tucson Tourists

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Partying until 6am in Las Vegas sounds like fun until you have to complete a long ass drive to your next stop. Thankfully it’s a lowkey adventure to the Vista Sun Wheel and extra homework time, right?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Apologies for any rough patches or weird inconsistencies within the text. This was uploaded on my phone, due to no computer, and I️ had a chance to sit down and write this! Sorry about the long wait!

Hours later, groans and complaints filled the bus as Damien woke up. Sohinki tended to their friends who whined and complained about the noise, despite the lack of outward noise besides their own voices. Damien groggily stood up and lumbered forwards to help. Sohinki waved his hand dismissively and Damien reluctantly sat down again. The weariness of the drive settling in. 

“Let me take care of this. You must be exhausted after downing two energy drinks and not sleeping for as long as you did. Shayne’s in your bunk making grabby hands anyways.” Sohinki said, jabbing his thumb towards the bunks.  Damien nodded silently before heading back to be with Shayne. As he walked back, he heard a slight chuckle, and half heartedly threw a middle finger up towards the offending laughter. More laughter followed. He grabbed some medicine, two waters and shuffled into the bunk. Hidden under the blanket was a bulky form. He saw a tuft of blond hair and smiled. He pulled the blanket down and saw his favorite person. Before climbing in, he drank his own glass of water and handed Shayne the bottle and water cup. It took some pleading and lots of puppy eyes, but he managed to get Shayne to begrudgingly take the proffered medicine and water and he took them both with a grimace. 

“Cuddles?” Shayne whispered once he finished. Damien nodded and climbed in so he could lay down. There was a couple moments of uncomfortable shifting in the small space, but eventually he and Shayne were intertwined. Shayne buried his head in Damien’s chest and within minutes, both were in deep, blissful sleep.

 

~

 

Everything ached, his throat was so  _ so _ dry and he could hear his heartbeat echoing in his ears and head with the same beat. He tried sitting up but a whine stopped him. Curious and startled he looked down where the sound originated. Curled into his chest was David. After seeing the familiar orange hair, Ian relaxed. With that, David’s face relaxed as well. Ian signed heavily at the predicament, though he couldn’t complain because the loud, roaring pain his his head was seceding as he relaxed. He was taken aback at how comfortable he felt with this position. His inner turmoil came to a halt when he noticed some movement. It was as if he was alerted, but Sohinki moved closer, offering water, and medicine. Ian took it gratefully and laid back against the pillows. As he began drifting off, Ian returned to his previous thought process, which was centered around his relationship with the fiery man. They had gotten extremely close since the beginning of the trip, and their relationship seemed to have taken leaps and bounds. Could they even make a relationship work? Or was it wishful thinking. He felt confused and really torn. As the medicine worked its way through his system, and the exhaustion from the previous night had dragged him back into the murky depths of sleep.

 

The day passed slowly as everyone overcame their hangovers and Sohinki felt exhausted after playing nanny to the young adults he shared this bus with. He came to their every call; medicine, blankets, water, time checks, and food. He was tired and they were going to need to stop again soon. They were in Arizona, and the dry heat passed to frigid night as the bus stayed stationary throughout the day. It’s not like they had a choice either. Sohinki wasn’t comfortable driving the bus by himself and the thought of everyone’s complaints about noise was motivation enough to make his own lunch out of the last actual food items they had, that weren’t snack cakes or granola bars. He did make some extras incase anyone wanted some. Thankfully the plumbing was hooked up to an onboard septic tank, which meant that when everyone threw up, the bus did not smell horrendous. If it did, Sohinki was out, he was returning to campus early and just continuing his semester as planned. The one upside was that Sohinki managed to knock out a big chunk of his manuscript for the game, and catch up on some homework he had been neglecting.

During the night, the sicklings stayed in relative silence, as they phased in and out of sleep. Mari, who was feeling restless took to quietly reading away from the others. She didn’t have much to drink, but partying often left her feeling spent and exhausted. Although, right now, she just felt restless and didn’t feel safe leaving the bus to walk off her energy. It was dark, she wasn’t fully awake and was not armed to defend herself. Sohinki locked up three things- credit/debit cards, phones and personal weapons. Wes was going to have a fit when he can’t find his knife that he always carries, but Sohinki had the perfect argument. 

“It’s better than me slashed to death, with no help!”

She had helped him come up with it, when he told her. She was one of the first ones to knock out of the haze. She was also one of the ones put in a bunk by Sohinki and she was still there. Getting/being restless was something that rarely occured in Mari’s life. She felt as if she was constantly moving about and around in her life. It definitely didn’t help that she overfilled her schedule to stay busy, which she enjoyed. Spare time lead to thoughts and thoughts could get frighteningly scary, as were relationships. The ability to be codependent on another human being required too much to be open, and Mari just never felt comfortable with it. She only trusted the people in this bus, and was only open with Ian. She would chat with Ian but he was currently under siege by Lasercorn and she didn’t care to share what was on her mind with the fiery, yet currently sleeping Lasercorn. So that was out of the question. She sighed and eased herself out of the bunk, and jumped down. She wobbled on unsteady legs until her sense of balance came back and she slowly walked into the kitchen area to eat. As she opened the cabinet, she heard some movement and noticed that Sohinki had settled into a chair to sleep. Forgetting about food, she moved to prod him awake.

“Pst, Sohin. Why don’t you go sleep in a bunk, since it’s so late and you must be exhausted.” She said softly. It took a moment, but Sohinki groaned and sat up, before dragging his feet towards the bunks. Mari returned to her quest for food and picked up a granola bar before taking Sohinki’s old seat. She took over to watch their friends and ended up falling asleep within 20 minutes.  When she woke up again, the sun was coming up and everyone was waking up again, significantly less hungover and more awake. The bright Arizona sun streamed through the window curtains casting a soft light throughout the bus. As more people woke up, breakfast was quickly started, of toast and frozen breakfast meals. The food was light and settled easy on the stomach. They drove around Tucson afterwards and visited some sights. The cabin fever was starting to set in, so the gang stopped at the Sun Vista Wheel, which is a gigantic creation based around ancient astronomical wheels used. They parked their bus at the nearby Church, and visited the Wheel. It was beautifully laid out with rocks representing a clock. 

Joven strolled around, and noticed a man surrounded by several other tourists, and he journeyed over to them, to hear what the man was saying. Joven quickly learned the man had created the wheel himself and was in an in depth conversation about creating the wheel, it’s accuracy and the history. It was generally fascinating and Joven listened as best he could. Other members joined the ranks as the man discussed the history. The Vista Sun Wheel was a welcome break and generally fascinating. Joven nabbed the brochure on the way out, before they traveled towards a park, that was known for gorgeous sunset views and perfect photography. 

Sentinel Park was gorgeous and the hike up the Mountain was well worth the amazing view. After candids were taken and they regained their breath, they journeyed down to make a hurried drive towards the Grand Canyon before the park closed for the night. They barely made it, and despite many parts were closed off, they did get close to the edge to take pictures of the canyon, and with the faded lighting, their pictures had beautiful and ethereal glows to them. After the quick photo shoot, they left, with the Park rangers practically chasing them out, so they could properly close the park for the night. Courtney felt awful and outwardly cringed at the encounter. Mari assured her that it was okay, but they did feel the uncomfortable vibes and as soon as the bus was out of the park, the night barricades were put up. Not to mention the lowkey stalking a ranger car did as they moved to and from the parking spaces.

As they drove off to the next location, the occupants into their normal activities. Some had retired to their beds, but  Joven, Noah, Keith and Flitz stayed up to chat about the day and do some homework. Mari was driving with Ian as her sidekick, and the rest had retired. Courtney and Olivia shared Olivia’s bunk and Damien returned to Shayne’s comforting embrace to sleep some more. Mari had noticed how exhausted the brunet had been lately, and felt a tone of concern. She made a mental note to check in later. She returned her thoughts to driving and glanced towards the GPS. 

 

~

 

Lasercorn laid in his bunk pondering over his recent revelations. The cuddling, the glances, the constant drifting towards him as they walked, and hand bumps.  _ Shit… I think I’m in love with Ian! _ He thought, panic surging through his veins. He didn’t believe he was gay, as he also liked women, but Ian was definitely not a girl. He pondered the thoughts and knew he needed to research what it was. How could a man love both man and woman? It just wasn’t done, and it’s illegal. Perhaps that’s better saved for a later day… Lasercorn briefly paused his turbulent thoughts and in that moment of peace, he drifted off. 

 

~

 

The drive was boring, as darkness and exits passed. Ian kept the conversation going through most of it, chattering about class work, the trip, plans he had and the like. It was easy conversation and Mari kept up easily enough. She appreciated the light conversation as a steady distraction from the growing restless energy she was building up. Her inner thoughts halted as she realized it had been quiet for some time. Glancing over, she saw a troubled expression clouding his features.

“Penny for your thoughts?” She prompted.

“I… I think I’m gay?” Ian asked quietly. Mari’s eyes widened. There were a million things that could have created that look on Ian’s face, but his sexuality was not something Mari had ever thought would have been brought up. They were open with talking, 5 years of steady and constant friendship tended to create an open and safe place for talking, and yet this had caught her off guard, a rarity in their relationship.

“What makes you say that?” Mari asked, confused. 

“Well…” Ian trailed off. “Back in Seattle, Lasercorn and I managed to be paired to share a bed, and we woke up cuddling. Like, Lasercorn was on my chest, and breathing softly. It didn’t last long, and it put me in a weird mood. Like, he looked soft in the morning haze, and he is a cuddler. And then in Las Vegas, we were put in the same bed, and ended up in the same predicament. And yet, all those times, I’ve never minded it. At first, it was weird, cause he’s like a brother almost, but he is also a great friend. And I think a relationship would strain that. “ Ian rushed to say. Mari took in the information, soaking it up like a sponge and she began rationalizing it. Ian had a habit of overthinking and worrying himself over things, and she quickly became adept at psychoanalyzing and rationalizing his wayward thoughts. Though, something of this caliber required some extra care and attention. She didn’t want to scare Ian away, or make it worse for him. 

“Hmmm, well that’s a lot. If you are gay, that’s okay. You know this family is super supportive of everyone. Besides, you know I would never betray your trust, or throw away our friendship.” She started. Ian laughed slightly, deterring what was going to be her speech.

“Heheheh, sorry. It’s just, that’s the same thing I told you when you came out to me. How the tables have turned.” Ian reminisced. Mari had forgotten that. 

“Oh right, I actually forgot that, and thought it was super inspirational. Well, I think it may be too soon to call anything. But, are you sure it’s just men, because it may be bisexuality, pansexuality, demisexuality. It’s not just straight and gay, there is a spectrum to everything.” Mari explained. 

“Yeah, I know, I kinda meant gay as in a broad term, but I don’t know. And what if we’re just not prepared, or what if it’s a fling? I think I actually care for him.” Ian murmured.

“Okay, hold on there big boy. You’ve known David since we started, right? And before, you’ve only thought of him as a friend, growing and letting your relationship grow naturally. Now, you’ve shared a bed like three times and you’re head over heels, ‘I’m gonna marry him right now’?” Mari asked, raising an eyebrow. Ian flushed.

“You’re right, maybe it’s not that big, but there is something.” Ian protested. 

“I’m sure there is, and it’s not wrong to want to know, I just think that your worrying is about bigger things. Just wait a bit and let it see. Don’t force a natural relationship grow quicker than it’s meant too. That’s harmful to both of you.” Mari advised. Ian nodded, his head feeling a little clearer. The conversation lapsed into silence for a moment, before Mari prompted their next location. 

“Well my darling and amazing friend, we are headed to Albuquerque, New Mexico.” Iam supplied, an air of grandeur in his voice. He informed her of a few activities they would do. 

“That sounds fun, but first- we need a restock. Las Vegas drained our food supply a bit.” She told him. Ian nodded. 

“Okay, let’s make a list, and let them decide who buys.” Iam suggested.

“Bold if you to assume they have a single brain cell in their heads.” Mari jokes, causing Ian to laugh heartily. 

“That’s hilariously hurtful! But okay. What do we need?” Ian asked. Mari listed a couple things, like bread, deli meat, cheese, mustard and mayo for sandwiches. As well as granola bars, water, soda, among other items. They drove off chatting as the desert stretched before them, before they ended their drive rolling into the WalMart parking lot. They had fueled up as a semi truck friendly gas station 10 miles up the highway. Mari and Ian passed out on the couch as sunlight began creeping up the horizon. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fee free to harass me for updates, or just general can’t on my tumblr! @lunarlyfox  
> Or is you want some fun smoshy goodness check out my sideblog @whatisasmosh <3 thank y’all for your patience with this story!


	6. Should've Just Left

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Albuquerque starts causing some issues. Can they be resolved?

Hours, or minutes later Mari was awoken by a rustling. Blearily she opened her eyes to see Joven scouring the kitchen for food. 

“Mm, morning Jovie.” She murmured. Joven startled and then saw her on the couch.

“God Mar, you scared me!” He chuckled nervously. Mari pushed herself into a sitting position, despite the groans of protest from her weary body. Sleeping on a couch is never great on Mari’s back. She stretched and felt her shirt lift, exposing her stomach. She quickly pulled it down again and winced as her muscles collapsed against each other harshly, ruining the effect of relief she was hoping for. 

“Oops?” She offered in response, with a halfhearted shrug. Joven dropped his arms and sent her a halfhearted glare. 

“Rude.” And with that, he turned back to his hunt for food. 

“We’re running low on food, Jovie. Care to join me for a breakfast run? We can make some cinnamon rolls, or just by some?” She asked. Joven contemplated it, then looked down at his blue and yellow Batman pajamas, and faded grey shirt that was more low-cut than he probably realized. 

“Eh, why the hell not. It’s not gonna be the  _ worst _ thing these employees will see all day.” Joven shrugged. Mari giggled and she slid on some shoes before exiting the bus with their list of things and her card. Her most recent paycheck from the dance studio came in, and she was going to take advantage of it before putting it into savings. 

The duo walked arm and arm towards the massive off-white and blue building, the earl grey sky stretching far beyond them with rose gold tinted clouds lazily floated overhead. A stiff breeze swept through the parking lot, causing Joven to shiver.

“Should’ve put on a jacket, dumbass.” Mari laughed. Joven sighed and turned around to grab said jacket. Mari paused, her hip jutted out and arms crossed, waiting for his return. 

A couple minutes later, Joven jogged back wearing a forest green jacket, hands tucked into the pockets. He stretched his arms out causing the jacket to stretch and cave the fabric as he paused walking to finish stretching, sighed heavily as he felt a series of small pops in the small of his back. He soon rejoined Mari and she tucked her arm into the crook of his elbow once again and they casually traipsed into the store, the heavy air conditioning fans already on and roaring to life. Mari snatched a cart and Joven grabbed one of the sanitizing wipes offered and wiped the handlebar of the cart down. Mari then steered the cart into the store. A young guy with darker blond hair greeted them with a slight nod. They were half slumped against the courtesy stool provided. The blue vest folded in on itself under the weight of various pins and badges and stood out starkly against the dark red flannel shirt black jeans they were wearing. Mari nodded in return and moved their cart towards the grocery section, steering clear of the Home Goods. As far as she knew, they were still pretty good on toiletries and the like. 

Steering into the bread aisle, she told Joven what to get and perused for some potential items for breakfast. She was thinking either cinnamon rolls or donuts. They steered around a weary stocker, dark bruises around his eyes. His dark grey shirt made the blue vest pop. They passed the stocker without incident and moved forward gathering condiments, snack cakes, bread. Before they passed it, Mari directed the cart towards the bakery case of muffins. 

“Pick out a couple and we’ll take them to everyone. I’ll grab cinnamon rolls and donuts!” She said cheerily and left the cart with Joven. She scoured several tables of bakery goods before finding a clear box of cinnamon rolls with white goopy icing. 

_ ‘Well, Wes will be happy. Now let’s wish Joven doesn’t muck up grabbing muffins. _ ’ She thought. 

~

About an hour and $200 dollars later, Mari and Joven hiked back towards the bus. Upon entering, Mari noted that everyone, well almost everyone was lounging around the sitting area. Keith and Noah were suspiciously missing and this made Mari hope they were NOT doing what she assumed. She brought in the groceries and they helped unpack them. Joven ran off to return the shopping cart before it became a hazard, and shortly returned, noticeably winded. 

“Okay, for breakfast we have an option of cinnamon rolls, muffins or donuts.” She said, smiling. This caused everyone to pounce on the food, grabbing a little of eat sugary treat. 

Breakfast had finished quick enough and they were soon on the road once again. The destination- Albuquerque. 

~

The rest of the drive was rather boring, lots of desert sands and dying. On video games anyways. In the background, Mario Maker was becoming quite the nuisance as screams of anger and anguish were heard as they continually died in various levels. Sometimes they found an automatic level and rejoiced in the easiness. Mari rolled her eyes as she drove, the summer heat giving slight mirages of water on the road. She drove onwards and heard the beginnings of an rpg game between them. 

“What are you guys playing?” She called back, confused.

“Outbreak: Undead. Remember Ian VanNorman from English? He let us borrow a copy of the game, and when we return we will give it back.” Joven shouted back.

“Ooh! Have fun, and try not to destroy the game.” She said in return, smiling. Joven was DMing the game, and was conducting the personality tests to test the players starting statistics. 

 

“Okay, so a little background on the game, Outbreak Undead was created by Ivan as a final project. He’s graciously made a second version for us to play. It’s a Zombie Apocalypse simulation RPG based on your own survival skills and traits. It leans on realism, and centers on recreating a realistic version of the famous movies such as Mad Max, 28 Days Later et cetera, et cetera. It’s pretty basic and gets harder on how detailed you’d like the experience to be. Since, we have some rpg newbies, we’re doing hard mode. Let’s be honest.” Joven laughed. Sohinki, Wes, Lasercorn, Joven, Shayne and Flitz were all playing, with the others watching from the sidelines. Shayne being the newbie of the group suddenly began to look nervous. 

“Ooh! What’s the theme?” Olivia asked, curious. 

“Winter Apocalypse! Kinda like last winter, when we traveled to Big Bear for Christmas!” Joven explained. 

“Okay, because we did the tests, let’s just look around and see our highest stats, so we know our strengths.” Lasercorn said, taking charge. 

“My highest stat is empathy at 36.” Sohinki said, scouring his stat sheet. 

“That was my lowest stat, at 20.” Lasercorn laughed. 

“Okay, what these numbers compare to is, let’s say that 22 is average. So, if you were to roll an empathy roll, you’d have to roll under a 36 on a 100-sided die, which means the odds are not in your favor. In this case, our 100-sided die is two D-10’s that make a 100.” Joven explained to Shayne. 

“I have a 39 in grappling.” Lasercorn said.

“Huh, uh- my highest is a 56 in ‘Hold’.” Shayne laughed.

“So, essentially that means you have a 56 in laziness.” Wes laughed.

“I have a 53 in ‘Long Arm Firearms’.” Wes continued. 

“You have a long history in competition shooting though, and in the apocalypse- experience matters!” Joven said, giving credit.

“Yeah, my strengths are pretty good! I have 2 years in lacrosse and 10 years in lying about my stats in an rpgs,” Lasercorn said, invoking laughter around the table. “I feel like I’m pretty well prepared!”

“Okay! Let’s jump into the scenario. You guys haven’t heard it before, and I’m just throwing you guys into it! Let’s see how you do!” Joven grinned. “I actually haven’t heard or seen it either! I texted Ivan to give me a scenario for a winter apocalypse and he sent me this. He also wanted to FaceTime so he could see you all, and explain it all, so he will be our little god.” Joven said, whipping out his phone to pull up a FaceTime with Ivan.. He placed the phone on the table. On the screen sat a thin man with curly red hair and the faint outlines of a beard. Joven pressed play and the video began.

“Hey guys! Glad you’ll be playing Outbreak Undead! I hope you enjoy it! The good news is that I got familiar with the last couple nights, with uh- what happens when you guys play games. Joven told me and sent me videos from your gaming sessions, which helped a lot with this scenario. The story that I’ll present to you today will be part of essentially you guys being in a cabin in Big Bear. And that’s where our story begins~!” Ivan began.

“Ooh! Paint us a picture!” Joven invited, smiling.

“Now normally, when doing rpg’s, I would go around and have you all introduce your characters, but you are playing you. These are your stats, and you are yourselves. Alright guys, you are in a two-tiered cabin out in the wondrous winter wonderland of Big Bear. You’re sitting on the lake side of Big Bear, if you’re familiar with the town at all. And just to be clear, it’s easily 30-40 miles out from the nearest civilization. And its down a large amount of elevation because Big Bear is used as a luxury retreat and ski resort. So, it’s very isolated establishment, but it’s all a very well furnished town. You’ve all taken a bus, similar to a CoachUSA charter bus. Not like this one.” Ivan clarified. 

“Ooh! Death Buth!” Joven called, referencing their GTA adventures. 

“Our scenario starts with you five relaxing after a long day of skiing and enjoying your winter break. So this is the evening of Day One, so to speak. Everyone else decided to go on a journey on the town and mess around at the local casinos. Y’know, all those Hollywood-style casinos in Big Bear. You all decided to stay home, because you didn’t want to blow money on a California casino.So, what are you guys doing? How do you relax?” Ivan prompted. 

“I would probably be reading, or doing homework- getting ahead in classes.” Shayne started.

“Nerrrrd!” Sohinki jested, shouldering Shayne lightly. Shayne laughed, and nodded along, in agreement.

“Uh, Fire Emblem Awakening, on my DS.” Lasercorn said, thinking.

“Wes and I would most likely be playing a Hearthstone duel.”

“Yep, going back and forth in Hearthstone.” Joven said, nodding. 

“And I would be commentating on the Hearthstone duel, annoying both of them.’ Flitz chimed in, for the first time. He was usually quiet during games, especially strategy games. Like Outbreak: Undead.

The game continued, forward for about an hour, going through the scenario. Joven DMed them, setting up different scenarios, and Ivan got updates as they happened, as well as answering questions for them. He did disconnect the call after setting their scenario up, as he had class. 

Mari listened as best she could to the game, as it progressed- driving them still. An hour into the game, she pulled off to refuel. 

“Hey guys, we’re about an hour away from our destination!” She called.

“Alrighty! We’re going to wrap up this session, and we can get back into it next time, sound good?” She heard Joven asked. The fill up was boring, and costly before she climbed back on, to find Ian in the driver’s seat.

“Why don’t you take a break Mar! The game’s pretty interesting, if you wanna watch them settle into the first night.” Ian said, smiling lightly. She thanked him, and settled on the couch next to Boze- who was neck deep in a Russian translation. She watched the game wind down for a bit and helped them stow the game away as Ian drifted off the highway, passing a Welcome sign. 

“I knew I should’ve taken that left turn at Albuquerque!” Shayne jokes, taking notice of the city’s welcome sign.. Mari rolled her eyes, and gave a half hearted punch at the man. 

“That’s so stupid, and you know that, right?” She asked, smiling.

“Oh yeah, that’s why I said it.” 

“At least he’s self aware.” Courtney said, smirking. Olivia chuckled, and she draped an arm around Courtney’s shoulders. 

“Where we going?” Olivia asked.

“We are going to check out the Sandia Peak Tramway, because it apparently has some breathtaking views!” Ian said.

“Wait, tramway? How high are we going?” Lasercorn asked, a twinge in his voice. 

“Uh, the tramway reaches the summit of the Sandia Mountains- which is over 10,000 feet above sea level. It starts around 6,500 feet up. So roughly 4,000 feet up.” Mari said, after a quick google search. Lasercorn’s eyes widened, and he made a nervous gulp.

“cOol.” He said, voice breaking.

“You okay Corn?” Mari asked, quietly.

“Uh yeah, just a small fear of heights. That’s all.” He said, nervously. 

“You should’ve said something! Like, hey avoid high elevations, because I have a fear of heights! You don’t have to do it!” Ian said, feeling awful. 

“No, it’s fine. It’s just a tram ride, right?” Lasercorn asked.

“Yeah, but don’t feel like you have to!” Joven said, placing a gentle hand on Lasercorn’s shoulder. 

“No, it’s fine. Don’t worry about it.” Lasercorn said, shrugging Joven’s hand off, before getting up and walking away to the kitchen and grabbing a drink- taking a big gulp. 

 

The drive into the mountains is gorgeous, with lush foliage singed with the beginnings of autumnal colors. The park the bus in a lot near the tram. They gather up phones, wallets, bags and waters before heading towards the tramway. Ian paid for the tickets, and they were spilt into three groups. Ian, Lasercorn, Wes, Mari and Courtney in one tram. In the next was Olivia, Boze, Sohinki, Joven and Noah. And in the final tram was Flitz, Damien, Shayne, and Keith. 

The faded white and blue tram was enclosed, with gritty windows on the sides. Ian and Mari sat on the edges with Lasercorn between them. On the other side of the carriage sat Courtney and Wes, their faces pressed to the edges as the tram slowly began its ascent. Ian felt a hand grip his own hand tightly, and looked up to see Lasercorn’s eyes closed. Ian gripped his hand tightly in turn, and rubbed soothing circles into the back of Lasercorn’s hand. The ride up was pretty smooth, and Ian could feel Lasercorn’s grip relax lightly. Ian intertwined their fingers, unassumingly, grateful for the reprieve. 

 

In the other carriage, it wasn’t as peaceful. Joven decided last minute to switch sides, causing the tram to sway lightly, startling Olivia, who had a slight fear of heights as well, not to the extent of Lasercorn, but fear was fear. Boze scooted closer and started whispering calming things. She lightly holds Olivia’s hand, out of comfort and rubs circles into her palm. In the background, Joven was being chewed out by Sohinki for scaring Olivia. Olivia curled into Boze, looking incredibly small, and Boze pet her hair lightly, and let her stay there. 

After a while, the tram slowed to a halt and the group of four joined the first group on the platform. Boze was still holding Olivia’s hand as they clambered out of the carriage. Courtney noticed, and a frown landed itself on her face, tears pricking. There wasn’t a reason, as hold holding was rather tame. It still hurt, and she looked away, arms crossing. 

With the arrival of the third tram, the group departed from the station and traversed to the outlooks. Olivia dropped Boze’s hand and went to find Courtney. She smiled and linked their arms with a happy smile. Courtney tried to pull away at first, but relinquished. This wasn’t the time or place to have this conversation. Perhaps it was insecurity speaking, with Boze being much louder and brasher than Courtney was. However, Courtney and Olivia knew each other longer, and one tram ride can’t ruin their relationship, could it?

Lasercorn on the other hand refused to release Ian’s hand from his grip and they walked around, hands clasped as if it were natural. Lasercorn was fairly clingy, especially tired, always trying to cuddle and snuggle with people. He was very tactile. Ian, however wasn’t. He wasn’t averse to touches, but tended to shy away from constant touching- which is why Mari was silently questioning why the two were still in constant contact. She chalked it up to Lasercorn’s fear and let the matter drop. She enjoyed the nature and the gorgeous views. 

 

On the ride back, they were separated again and they quickly returned to the bus. Boze was quietly stewing in the common area, returning to her homework, but unable to focus. Damien was hard at work on his own homework, and had headphones on. Boze started off, thoughts in a turmoil. She wasn’t able to focus on Russian when a petit ravenette with pretty brown eyes was constantly invading her thoughts. She hadn’t realized how in depth her thoughts were until a hand waving in front of her face caused her to back pedal.

“ Whoa, you okay Bozey?” Damien asked, concerned.

“Huh? Yeah, just thinking.” Boze murmured.

“Care to share?” Damien asked, setting his work aside. Boze noticed his neat script filled the page, indicating he had completed it. 

“I don’t know, I’m still sorting it out.” Boze confessed.

“Well, we’re the only ones awake, and besides- you know that you’re thoughts are safe with me.” Damien said, smiling.

“True. I guess, I’m just conflicted because this person is in a relationship, yet I kinda admire both of them. They are so strong and amazingly talented women. And I don’t know if I could ever be with them. They’re already dating and if I were to date them, then I’m encroaching on their relationship. I know polyamory is a thing and it’s okay. I just don’t know if I am though. Y’know?” She asked.

“Kinda. Im going to be honest- Flitz is probably the best to talk about this with. He’s all about cherishing and adoring the body and the person. However, I think you should do some soul searching and maybe talk with these subjects before you rule it out. You never know.” Damien shrugged. Boze nodded loosely and she packed her notes.

“Okay, thanks Dames.” She said, smiling. 

“No problem Boats! Sleep tight!” He said, settling back into his work. 

  
  


**Note! During the bus scene, where they are playing OutBreak Undead, for those who want to do captioning for videos- if it hasn’t been done; the whole conversation- with some editing is practically a transcript of the first 6-ish minutes of “WINTER GAMES HOUSE HORROR (Board AF)” on Smosh Games! It’s not perfect, as some things had to be edited to be properly written for the story. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm back~~ Thank you all for your patience, because it's been a while.


	7. Dance the Feels Away (Bonus)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is a little interlude, breaking up the chapters a bit!

With the Sandia Peak Tramway over, Ian took control of driving and took them back through to visit a really cool monument at the border. The Four Corners Monument was where the four corners of Arizona, New Mexico, Utah and Colorado meet. As much as Joven wished to start the rpg again, the set up would’ve taken too much time for the journey, to warrant it. 

“Perhaps on the way to Yellowstone, Jovie. We’ll be going through the Rocky mountains, which might knock out the wifi temporarily, due to the altitude. You’ll have plenty of time to play.” Ian said, from his position. Joven nodded and he pulled out some cards. Sohinki, Lasercorn and Joven began playing blackjack in the kitchen area. They did some betting with chips and snack cakes as their betting chips. Wes, Keith, Noah and Mari watched the game with interest. Flitz sat on the floor writing down notes for one of his classes. 

 

The Four Corners had plenty of milling tourists taking selfies and pictures of the obelisk sitting in the middle. The group dispersed around the site, taking images and literally jumping over the state lines, taking silly videos. Damien and Shayne took a really touching picture of them holding hands over a state line. Ian could already predict the caption. Something like- “Love stretching over borders and walls, across state lines and all. <3 “ for Damien’s page. He had a thing for touching captions. After pictures were taken, the group clambored back onto the bus, journeying to Yellowstone.

 

On the ride to Yellowstone, Joven brought out their rpg game, continuing where they left off. They were trying to deal with a dog situation. From the description- it was a rottweiler that had been chained outside and very hungry. Its weak barks echoing off the empty yard. Shayne was compelled by Courtney to feed the poor pupper, and made a charisma roll to charm the dog into not biting him, as he slowly approached. He rolled well and offered to use his own resources to feed the dog, and opened a can of Chef Boyardee pasta, and let the dog gobble up the contents. After the can was halfway empty- Shayne untied the dog and pulled the can away before the dog could scratch his muzzle up on the rough edges. The dog, now happy and somewhat full- stayed by Shayne’s side during the game. The rest of the party began raiding the house, finding supplies to heal Wes’s gouged leg from an attack in the beginning of their campaign. Wes was mostly healed, from resting and bandaging the wound before they were forced to vacate the cabin. Zombies were on the second floor, causing lots of noise, and spooking the dog. Shayne found a bag of dog food and grabbed it as well, for his new companion. 

“Hey guys, shouldn’t we check the garage for a car?” Shayne asked, whispering. His party members cast wary looks, as they faced an army of zombies trying to vacate their previous cabin. Along the route- they have run into their friends, their friends cannibalising on their other friends, their friends as zombies, as well as crashed their bus, faced a zombie with a grudge against legs, and wild insects. 

“You know what, sure. It’s possible, the family could have brought a car. Hopefully it has a full tank.” Sohinki said, shrugging. They ventured to the garage and found it empty.

“Shit, that means that the family ditched town, their dog and currently are not locked upstairs.” Lasercorn cursed, scratching his eyebrow in irritation. 

Mari observed the game with interest, and made commentary as it progressed.

 

In the back, Courtney sat, on her laptop trying to focus on her homework. She was trying to get this assignment done for her class, and it wasn’t happening. Her head was spinning with the revelations from yesterday. Olivia, was napping in her bunk, and Boze was out front with everyone else. What should she do? Should she talk to Boze? Or should she talk to Olivia? Talk to both of them at the same time? She was just so confused at what to do. Perhaps she could talk to Ian? Or Mari? Or even Flitz! They all had a good idea of what to do and helped a lot with figuring out her problems and finding ways to resolve them. 

She closed her laptop, coming to terms that homework was out of the question. It was slightly irritating- considering she was doing homework (that needed to be done) to get her mind off yesterday. There are multiple reasons for Olivia and Boze to be holding hands, a lot of them being innocent. However, seeing Olivia smiling and laughing with the short brunette made something hurt deep in her chest, affecting her core. It was odd, and uncomfortable.

Sighing, Courtney stood up to stretch. Her stomach was in knots after her spiraling thoughts. To clear her head and hopefully soothe her stomach, she went to get some water. She observed the rpg from a far before retreating to her bunk to nap. She climbed in and closed the curtain, plunging the small space into darkness. She started up at the plywood, thoughts in turmoil. Her eyes fell out of focus staring up at the plywood, tans and browns of the wood blurring. She felt dizzy as her thoughts raced- scenario after scenario spiraling as her brain tried to rationalize out what happened yesterday. Courtney rolled to her side- staring at the wall. Slowly, her thoughts faded to dreams and she fell asleep. 

 

The drive through the mountains was quieter than Ian expected. Most people were taking advantage of the long journey to do their homework, eat or relax. The game was still being played. The crowd dissipated as people moved forward to other activities. There was a whole 10 minute span where the wifi was knocked out, due to the high altitude causing mild complaints. 

 

Midway through the mountains, and no wifi- Boze messed around with the sound system. There was a low hum as she connected the aux cord to her phone, before turning on a playlist. The first song was “Shut Up and Dance”, causing Shayne to immediately recognize the playlist. Boze started it and shared it with the group to create a bunch of jams for the trip. As the guitar started up, Flitz bounced up, energized and ready to pull one of them into a dance. Quite the theatrical performance in Shayne’s opinion. Today’s dance partner was Mari. He bowed, offering his hand to guide her. The game was put on hold, as the music flooded the speakers. 

_ Oh don’t you dare look back, just keep your eyes on me! I said, “You’re holding back” _

_ She said “Shut up and Dance With Me!”  _

The music bounced as Flitz and Mari danced, with more joining. The main duo spinning with the rhythm. The music had drawn out the more reclusive people into the mix, the bass pouring out of the speakers. Even Courtney, who’d be reclusive ever since the Tramway danced happily with Boze and Olivia in a fun triangle of giggles. 

The bus rolled down the highway, leaving a wake of music, causing some of the roadway drivers to scoff at the small dick energy, that is blasting music extremely loud on the road.

The dancers had bopped and grooved as the song continued.

_ This is my last chance! She took my arm, I don’t know how it happened. We took the floor and she said! _

Over the music, Courtney was hit with realization. As the deep bass thrummed, leading into the chorus she gripped Olivia’s shoulder and Boze’s shoulder with a fierce intensity.

“I need to talk to you both, immediately.” She said, eyes wild with adoration. Like a blind woman seeing color for the first time. 

“After this song!” Boze said, grinning happily, unaware of the intensity of emotions rolling through Courtney at this very second. ‘ _ Now everything makes so much sense!’ _

As the bass increased, Olivia and Boze grabbed Courtney’s hands as the chorus began.

_ “Oh don’t you dare look back. Just keep your eyes on me!” _

Courtney sang within the tune.

_ “I said “Your holding back.” _

Olivia whispered as Boze smiled, jumping within time.

_ She said, “Shut up and Dance with me!” _

Boze sang.

_ This woman is my destiny~ She said, “Shut up and Dance!” _

Courtney mouthed to the words, the lyrics hitting home, causing a small pang of emotion as she realized. The rest of the group was unaware of the transaction of momentary bliss of relief. The song faded with a crash, and the next song built up with drums. 

Given a break, Courtney dragged Boze and Olivia towards the bunks with her. Their wrists trapped in her grip, the girls complained about wanting to continue with the dance party. 

 

Back in the main area, the pop beat of “The Nights” by Avicii played on. Joven, Lasercorn and Sohinki jamming like dad’s. As the chorus struck, they gripped each other into a hug.

_ He said, "One day you'll leave this world behind, so live a life you will remember." _

_ My father told me when I was just a child, these are the nights that never die _

The lyrics faded to a funky pop beat before ending. 

“Courtney, what’s this about?” Olivia asked, rubbing her wrist once Courtney let go.

“I, uh.” Courtney stuttered, suddenly losing confidence without the blanket of music. She could here “Accidentally in Love” blaring mockingly.  “I think I’m in love.” She whispered.

“With who?” Boze asked.

“Both of you? I don’t know, but on the tramway- you two were holding hands and really close and I felt jealous. I don’t know why, but I guess I felt like I was missing something. And then I tried rationalizing it, and didn’t talk. And now, I think I realized that I like you both. More than friends.” Courtney rambled, unable to stop herself from clarifying thoughts and giving justifications. 

“But, how does that work? How can you be in love with more than one person?” Olivia asked.

“I guess, kinda how we all love each other, like family? But I want to be with both of you. Because, I like Boze. I like your spunky attitude, your gothicness, your confidence. You’re so pretty, so smart. And I like Olivia. She’s my better half, and just amazing. A dancer, kind, thoughtful, unique. But I don’t, and can’t pick just one of you. I can’t. My heart is too big for just one of you.” Courtney whispered, feeling smaller and smaller as they both watched her with rapt attention.

“But isn’t polygamy illegal? You can’t  _ marry _ both of us.” Boze pointed out.  _ ‘She isn’t saying no _ ’ Courtney noted with happiness.

“Not polyamory. Besides, its a win-win. Two amazing girlfriends, endless cuddles and we are the same size, so triple the wardrobe.

“But who kills the spider?” Boze asked.

“That’s why we live with guys.” Courtney laughed.

“I don’t know, fully. But, I do adore you both. Let’s say we give it a try?” Boze asked, worry creasing her brow. 

“Why not.” Olivia said, smiling. Courtney brought them into a tight hug, smiling. 

“Us, I like the sound of that.” She giggled. 

 

When the trio rejoined, hands clasped together, the dance party had faded to a somber jam session. 

“Good news guys, we’re almost out of the mountains! WiFi and cell service should return soon!” Ian called from up front. Courtney noted that Mari was up front with him, hair in a bun and a binder open over her crossed legs. 

 

The bus finally emerged from the rolling hills of the Rocky Mountains into Wyoming.

“Who the fuck lives in Wyoming anyways?” Shayne jested.

“Government scientists and the Lizard People.” Damien retorted without delay. 

“Nice.” 

They drove a while more, before pulling into a rest stop, just outside of Jackson Hole, Wyoming for the night. That night, three girls rolled out the pull-out bed in the main area and fell asleep, hands grasped in fear of losing another. The night sky twinkled merrily, as the bus settled into the night, fully aware of the exciting days ahead. 

**Author's Note:**

> This is going to be a longer work, and after this, I will try and work on Teenage Disasters and maybe "What Is A Smosh?". Teenage Disasters will be on Hiatus until I work out a plot and rewrite it, so it's sitting there as it is now. 
> 
> I want to give a huge thank you to the discord group, who have helped me with this story!


End file.
